


Fate's Chew-Toy

by fringeperson



Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale, xxxHoLic
Genre: Don't copy to another site, F/M, Fate & Destiny, Old Fic, Supernatural Elements, Time warp
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-16
Updated: 2020-11-15
Packaged: 2021-03-10 01:01:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 24,631
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27585151
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fringeperson/pseuds/fringeperson
Summary: There's funny and there's funny. Funny 'haha', an funny 'strange'. For Kagome, something funny has happened. But which kind of funny?~Originally posted in '13
Relationships: Doumeki Shizuka/Higurashi Kagome, Higurashi Kagome & Sesshoumaru
Comments: 2
Kudos: 23





	1. Chapter 1

_War is over, if you want it. War is over now._

After ten  _years_ of tracking down the shards, fighting demons for them, losing them to Naraku, stealing them  _back_ from Naraku, getting stronger, making new allies, killing new foes, making new allies  _from_ old foes... and ten years of getting  _older_ and more  _mature_ ... the jewel was finally finished. It was whole, and it was pure as it sat so  _innocently_ between Kagome's finger and thumb.

Ten years of her life, down the drain over a bauble that, by now, none of them  _dared_ even  _think_ of wishing on. Not even InuYasha. Ten years that she wouldn't trade for anything, granted, but...

“I guess it's time for me to go home at last then,” Kagome said as she stood up straight.

“Go home?” Shippo asked, green eyes wide.

Kagome smiled, a little sadly, at the young fox. “Yeah,” she answered. “Home to  _my_ time. You're a big boy now Shippo. You'll be just fine, I'm sure. But I knew from the beginning that I couldn't stay here.”

“That's why she was always goin' on about bein' in her time for her _tests_ ,” InuYasha groused unhappily. He didn't look the slightest bit different to the day they'd met.

“And why _you_ didn't want me to,” Kagome countered sharply. “Me not making my tests wasn't going to induce me to stay, InuYasha,” she pointed out. “I love it here, really I do, and I love all of you, but...”

“But your time is not this one,” Sesshoumaru finished solemnly. “To remain could well tear apart the very fabric of reality.”

Kagome nodded. In the ten years they'd been after the jewel, Kagome had actually gotten to know the stoic demon lord. They'd stayed up late together a few times discussing philosophy, or he'd teach her a few tricks that  _he_ had been taught about controlling and manipulating his youki that she could potentially apply to her reiki. She wouldn't say it, and he  _definitely_ wouldn't, but Kagome liked to think that they'd managed to become friends.

“Sango, Miroku, this is goodbye,” Kagome said, a little sadly. In her time, after all, they were well and truly _dead_. She didn't like to think of it, but it was true.

“Oh Kagome,” Sango said sadly, and wrapped the other woman up in a tight hug.

Miroku joined them, his arms also tight around their shoulders. The occasion too solemn even for  _him_ to let his hand wander.

Kagome sniffed and wiped the tears from her eyes when they separated, and turned to the demons. “If you're still alive in the year twenty-seventeen, look me up,” she told them with a smile. “Unless something goes off when I go back down the well, I should be living in Tokyo, the Higurashi Shrine.”

All of her friends with longer lifespans – Shippo, Sesshoumaru, InuYasha – nodded in agreement.

“Kirara, will you take me to the well?” Kagome requested.

The two-tail nodded and stepped up for Kagome to climb onto her back. Kagome's last view of ancient Japan would be from the sky. When they reached the well, Kagome gave Kirara one last hug, and then jumped into the well.

~oOo~

“Kagome?!” her mother's voice called frantically from beyond the well. “Are you alright? Souta said that Buyo made you trip and fall into the old well when you were fetching him,” the woman continued, even as she started to lower a ladder down into the well.

Kagome blinked and looked down at herself. She barely stopped herself from screaming. She was in her old middle-school uniform again! The jewel was still in her hand, but -!

“Kagome?” her mother called again.

“I'm fine,” she answered. “A little shook up, and I think I bumped my head,” she added, even as she started to climb the ladder out. “But I'm fine. And look! I even found something at the bottom of the well!” she added with false cheer as she showed her mother the jewel. “Think I could make myself a necklace with it?” she suggested.

Her mother smiled. “I'm sure you could,” she agreed. “I'll look for some jewellery making things when I do the shopping,” she promised.

“Thanks Haha,” Kagome said, and gave her mother a quick hug. “I'm going to be late for school, I think.”

“You're staying _home_ ,” Mrs Higurashi countered. “It's your last year of middle-school, and you haven't missed a single day from injury or sickness yet. I'm sure they can forgive you this _one_.”

Kagome smiled gratefully. “And I can use the day to look at which high-school I want to attend,” she suggested.

Her mother smiled back, and nodded in agreement.

Kagome followed her mother back into the house and settled down with a sigh. Before, as soon as she had graduated middle-school, Kagome had dropped out. It was the minimum education she could receive  _legally_ , which was why  _not_ flunking out had been so important. Coming back to her education  _after_ everything was over would have been possible provided she'd passed.

This time, things were clearly going to be different. She  _would_ get into a good high-school, and if she could swing it, one  _away_ from Eri, Yuka, Ayumi and Hojo.  _Especially_ away from Hojo. Now, she just had to remember where they'd all decided to go last time, check that they still intended to make the same choices  _this_ time, and apply to  _none_ of those high-schools.

~oOo~

“Sesshoumaru?” Kagome yelped quietly once the door was closed behind her and she turned to see just _who_ was in the principle's chair of what she hoped would be her high school when she graduated from middle-school. His hair was black, his eyes a golden brown, and his markings were gone, but it was _definitely_ Sesshoumaru.

“Miko,” Sesshoumaru answered, and actually _blinked_ in surprise. “I recall you complained to me once that you could _not_ attend high school due to InuYasha's nagging over your duties to the jewel.”

Kagome smiled. “Something went funny when I jumped down the well after the jewel was restored,” she informed him as she took a seat. “I have the memories of everything that happened,  _ten years_ worth of memories... and I'm fifteen again. The very day Mistress Centipede dragged me down the well, and I was at the bottom of the well, even, but... No centipede demon, no time travel, just the bottom of the well. Like it never happened, except that the jewel was still in my hand,” she explained.

Sesshoumaru nodded in acceptance and understanding. “I see,” he said. “You are taking advantage of the opportunity you have been granted?”

Kagome nodded. “I am,” she agreed firmly. “I don't know what I'll  _do_ with a normal life, but I figure that everybody has to figure it out on their own, and there isn't a better place to do that than in high-school.”

“Indeed,” Sesshoumaru agreed.

Kagome bit her lip, then plunged forward. “I'd never have pictured you as a teacher,” she admitted, the words soft but leaving her mouth in a rush.

Sesshoumaru smirked a little. “Indeed,” he said again. “After you left, this Sesshoumaru took over the task of raising your son. After raising Rin, I was able to make a more qualified judgement as to my opinion of the profession. This Sesshoumaru  _enjoys_ teaching. I was promoted, however, and now the only place I have teaching is in the school's kendo club and as an extra when the P.E. classes leaves school grounds for orienteering or marathons.”

Kagome smiled sympathetically. Paperwork. The administration nightmare. “How  _is_ Shippo?” she asked.

“At peace,” Sesshoumaru answered solemnly. “I am the last of those you knew.”

Kagome's eyes widened and her hands came up to her mouth – to stifle a gasp or keep her mouth from falling open in horror she wasn't sure.

“He was not a taiyoukai,” Sesshoumaru said flatly, though not unfeelingly. “He became powerful, and lived a long life, but he passed on two years ago. He was happy though,” he added. “Most especially on the days you visited his oden cart. I believe it is run by his son now.”

Kagome smiled as tears glazed her eyes as she recalled the oden cart she had always loved to visit, because the old man there told her wonderful stories as she ate the very _best_ oden in the _world._ “He had a family,” she said softly.

Sesshoumaru nodded. “They are  _less_ powerful than Shippo was, and cannot hold an illusion of humanity as well as he did, so they hide their cart instead from those who do not have a certain amount of spiritual power. If you find the cart again, I do not doubt that you will know it,” he said.

“Thank you,” Kagome answered, bowing her head slightly. “I'm sure that I will.”

Sesshoumaru nodded again as he reached for some papers on his desk. “Now, about your wish to enrol here. There are entrance exams and a minimum score requirement which I am confident you will easily pass.”

“I managed to pass middle-school without teachers the first time, with teachers this time, I should be top of the class,” she agreed with a smile, welcoming the distraction of the actual reason she was there.

“Hn,” Sesshoumaru agreed. “You will be joining the archery club,” he stated, as though it were fact. “You spent ten years perfecting your skill with the bow. You will _not_ waste such, even if your body does not remember what your mind does.”

“Hai,” Kagome agreed. “I set up targets behind the shrine yesterday, and intend to purchase a bow and some arrows on my way home today.”

“You will continue to train your powers as well,” Sesshoumaru informed her. “Demons still exist in this age, and you are still the holder of the Tama.”

Kagome nodded. “I carry a pen-knife up my sleeve and already purified two lesser demons seeking it just today. Using my powers is thankfully a mental discipline, so my control  _there_ does not have to be re-learned.”

“Merely continually improved upon,” Sesshoumaru countered. “Very well,” he agreed. “You will take these forms to fill in, and this Sesshoumaru will make a note of your name among those who wish to sit the entrance exam when that date is upon us.”

“Thank you Sesshoumaru,” Kagome said with a smile as she accepted the papers and stood. She bowed politely and began to turn for the door.

“Miko,” Sesshoumaru said, catching her before she had taken a step.

“Yes?”

“You cannot call this one Sesshoumaru in public,” he stated. “Passing centuries and human bureaucracy have forced this Sesshoumaru to change his name several times.”  
Kagome smiled. “The name on the door was Takahashi Ichimaru,” she agreed. “I'll see you around though, ne, Takahashi-sensei?” she asked hopefully.

Sesshoumaru nodded slightly. “Not often,” he warned. “It would not be good for a teacher and a student to be seen to have anything but a professional relationship unless they were related. We are not.”

Kagome nodded in understanding. “I know,” she answered. “Still, I'm glad you're here to talk to,  _sensei_ . I would have missed our talks.”

Sesshoumaru's expression softened, just a bit, and a hint of a smile graced his lips. “I  _have_ missed our talks,” he countered, and with a wave dismissed her from his office.

Kagome smiled as she left. She would have to return to her middle-school tomorrow, but for now... she had a bit of shopping to do. She was a good shot with the bow. Was being the operative word, since her muscles currently _sucked_. All that conditioning, lost. She'd have to build it up all over again.

~oOo~

“Higurashi-san?”

Kagome looked up from her notebook. She was planning out her exercise regime. She _liked_ being as fit as ten years of running around after demons had made her. It was a nasty shock to discover, or re-discover, just how _soft_ she'd been at fifteen. “Yes, Hojo-san?” she answered politely.

“I was wondering if you'd go on a date with me on Friday?” he asked hopefully.

Kagome blinked. “I thank you for your interest, Hojo-san, but it is not returned. I wish you well,” she answered and with a polite, but clearly _dismissing_ nod, returned to her notebook. No, even if she had _wanted_ to go on a date with Hojo – which she didn't, she really, really _didn't_ – Friday was just out of the question. She'd be catching a bus out to Sesshoumaru's private country estate on Friday where, with his permission, she'd be forcing herself through the obstacle course.

Sesshoumaru wouldn't be there. He had an apartment in the city that _he_ lived in. But he was happy for her to make use of the course his _grandfather_ originally built for his _father_ to learn on. A course that had been subsequently used by Sesshoumaru himself, Shippo, and even by Kirara a few times over the years before she had also died of old age.

She'd gotten permission from him in a letter. After having to post back the papers she'd filled in for him, they'd kept up correspondence. Letters were really the best way for them to communicate outside of school hours when he would (eventually) address her as one of the students under his care. Kagome had, of course, asked if his own children had ever used the training course on his estate.

Sesshoumaru had responded that he had never taken a mate, and was not so dishonourable as his father as to take a mistress and sire bastards. He was powerful enough, and the times peaceful enough, that he had no fear of being killed by anything – and he, like his father before him, would not die _naturally_. InuYasha had, but he was only a half-breed. He may yet find love and a mate, but he did not feel the need to actively seek them out for himself at present.

Kagome felt a little sorry for him about that, but understood where he was coming from. After all, everybody around him thought he was about thirty, not the near millennia he actually was. Kagome was having trouble adjusting to the idea that it was _alright_ for her to be romantically interested in teenagers again, and she'd only been in her mid-twenties when she'd been sent back.

Well, her last year at middle-school would be her adjusting period, but there was _no way_ she was going out with _Hojo_.

“What did you do that for Kagome?” Yuka demanded quietly – they _were_ in a room filled with their peers after all. “Hojo's a nice guy! He's going to inherit his family's business some day! Just about any girl in the school would be glad to be asked out by him! Why'd you turn him down?”

Kagome raised an eyebrow at the other girl. “Every other girl in the school can _have_ him,” Kagome answered, “because I'm _not_ interested in him.”

The three other girls slumped a little. Ayumi in disappointment – the girl really _was_ a romantic – and Eri and Yuka in disbelief.

“Why not?” Yuka wanted to know.

“Yeah, what's not to like about him?” Eri added, expression incredulous.

“Ugh,” Kagome groaned. “More like what _is_ there to like about him?” she countered. “'Nice' does not a personality make.”

Before her friends could question her further, the teacher entered the room and called them all to order.

~oOo~

'Nice' might not have made for much personality, but Hojo also had _persistence_ going for him. Or against him. Persistence hadn't done _Koga_ any favours either, after all. The boy also had Kagome's friends on _his_ side. Some friends. But Kagome had already known that, and was slowly (deliberately) drifting away from them.

“Come on Kagome, why don't you go?” Eri asked one sports lesson when Hojo had (again) asked her out. “You're not _scared_ to go on one itsy-bitsy _date_ , are you?”

Kagome wasn't going to fall for that trick _this_ time though. “Yeah,” she answered. “Scared I'll strangle him to relieve my boredom.”

“No _way_ it could _possibly_ be _that_ bad,” Yuka objected. “He's offering to take you to the movies and then to eat. You'd at least enjoy the film and the food!”

Kagome shook her head. “The only things showing right now are badly dubbed American romantic comedies. _No_ _thank you_ ,” she said firmly.

“There's that horror film about the little girl who died and vowed vengeance on her little brother for living,” Ayumi offered. “That's a Japanese film. You wouldn't have to worry about bad dubbing then.”

“I'd just have to worry about Hojo either expecting me to cling to him in fright, or having to put up with _him_ clinging to _me_ in fright when he figures out that I'm just not scared by horror films,” Kagome countered dryly. “Not interested.”

And in truth, she wouldn't be scared by a horror film any more. After having real life experience of all that stuff, she could look at horror films and _critique_ where the film makers had clearly _not done their research_. If she ever went to a horror film again, she'd need to find someone to go with who wouldn't mind her _laughing through it_. For preference, someone who'd laugh with her. Actually laugh too, not just scoff like Sesshoumaru would.

“But...” Eri objected.

“Kagome, I'm beginning to wonder if it's something wrong with him, or if it's something wrong with _you_ ,” Yuka stated bluntly. “Hojo is kind, thoughtful, is going to inherit a stable family business, and he's _handsome_ on top of all that!”

Kagome snorted. “If by 'handsome' you mean he's got a face that looks like it would fit in with my little brother's class,” she quipped. “If you like him so much, why don't _you_ ask him out?”

“Higurashi! Take the starting position!” barked the sensei then, saving her from her friends as he ordered her to the track.

“Hai Sensei!” she answered. She _would_ improve her running. There were still demons and such in this time, and since there were _less_ of them that had Sesshoumaru's strength, _more_ of them wanted the jewel. Being able to run until she could dispose of them safely was _important_.

~oOo~

Kagome doubted that she would _ever_ enjoy tests the way that Ayumi did, but she didn't feel as terrible about them as she had the first time around – or as terrible as Eri and Yuka still did. This time, Kagome knew, she'd aced those tests. She didn't enjoy the tests themselves, but she _could_ enjoy basking in the knowledge that she'd gotten perfect scores. And not because she'd memorised them from when she'd done the tests the first time around – because she _hadn't_. She hadn't thought she would ever be taking these tests again, so she hadn't bothered. No, she was confident because she _knew_ the stuff this time around. Really properly _knew_ it.

It was a good feeling.

So while Eri and Yuka slumped together, bemoaning their fate and complaining about having had to sit a test at all, and Ayumi was all bubbling over with how _fun_ it was, Kagome just stretched leisurely and smiled a small, proud smile. Especially since it was the _last_ test she would have to take until it was time to sit her high-school entrance exam.

Goodbye middle-school! Goodbye green skirt and sailor-top! Goodbye Eri, Yuka, and Ayumi! And best of all – _goodbye Hojo_!

Yeah, that bit of knowledge felt _really_ good.

Almost as good as figuring out how to purify a lesser demon when her only weapon was a sharpened pencil.

“So, what are you guys planning to do?” Kagome asked the girls as they walked out of the school building. They hadn't, in the past year, broached any topic of the future that didn't revolve around boys or shopping trips, except for the times that Kagome had asked each of them (individually, without the others listening in) which high-schools they planned on applying for.

“I'll be getting a summer job,” Eri answered. “Start saving up for my own car or something. I probably won't have it before I start attending Seika, but it will be good to have something.”

“But isn't Seika an _all boys_ school?” Ayumi asked, confused.

“Not any more,” Yuka answered with a smile. “It's just gone co-ed. I'll be taking the entrance exams for it with Eri. Ah, all those _boys_...”

Kagome shook her head. “You two are boy _crazy_ ,” she grumbled. “What about you, Ayumi?”

Ayumi shrugged. “I'm applying for as many technical colleges as I can,” she answered. “I'll start studying information systems, and when I graduate from there, I'll go on to Tokyo-U.”

Kagome nodded. Ayumi was the most sensible of her friends really, except for romance. There, she was purely supportive of your choices, even if they were bad ones.

“What are you going to do Kagome?” Eri asked.

Kagome smiled. “An old friend is the principle of Cross Private School, and says it would be a personal insult if I didn't at least take the entrance exam. I'll apply to a couple of other schools as well, just in case, but that's the one I really wanted to get into even before I found out he was principle there,” she answered.

“Old friend?” Yuka asked slyly, clearly hoping for juicy gossip or a forbidden romance between a teacher and student. She hadn't approved of InuYasha in Kagome's first teenager-hood, but on the grounds that he was a 'bad boy' and a 'two-timing scoundrel'. Teachers were stable, and something she could approve of, even if it _was_ a slightly taboo romance. “Is this _old friend_ why you weren't interested in dating Hojo? You've been dating a _man_ rather than a _boy_?”

Kagome tried not to laugh. Really she did. But the giggles grew into chuckles and soon she was holding her stomach as she shook her head. “Haha! Oh, no! Ha! Dating _him_? Oh, oh Yuka, you're hilarious!”

“Is he ugly?” Eri guessed.

Kagome had just about gotten her laughter under control, but Eri's comment set her off again. It wasn't her fault, the girl had _no_ idea what she was talking about, but seriously? Sesshoumaru? _Ugly_? It was even more ridiculous than the idea of Kagome dating him! Even when he'd only had one arm, he'd still been an Adonis!

“Then is he married?” Ayumi tried when Kagome started to calm down again.

“Ahh, confirmed bachelor,” Kagome answered as she wiped the tears of laughter from her eyes. “I swear, he's _just_ an old friend. He's more like an older brother, really!”

And then they were at the lights where Kagome parted ways with them, and that was that. She would probably never see them again.

Kagome smiled to herself as she walked home. High-school would come soon enough, and the chance to meet new people and make new friends. Friends that were not as shallow as her middle-school friends had been – she was determined.


	2. Chapter 2

Kagome sighed in happiness as she stepped through the gate of her new high-school. It was an hour away from the shrine, but there were trains running at all hours, so it wasn't a problem for her to be on time – or even early, as she was today. The first day of school. Sesshoumaru had told her to bring her own equipment if she wanted to join the archery club that day, as the new gear he'd ordered would not arrive for a week, and of the _three_ bows that were for the use of 'beginners' (meaning new members who hadn't proven themselves yet), one was beginning to rot and the other two were off balance, though one was _definitely_ worse than the other.

He'd also offered to let her store her bow in his office until the day's classes – such as they were on the first day – were over and clubs began their campaigns to recruit new members. After all, if they had more members or awards to their club, then the club got more funding. Sesshoumaru was investing a little more into the archery club _this_ year because he knew Kagome would be joining it – and with a pretty girl like _her_ joining (he was not _blind_ as his brother had been after all, though he would never pursue her himself), then there were certain to be a number of _other_ students signing up as well, if only to try for her attention. _They_ wouldn't stick, but the _awards_ Kagome would bring from her position in the club would.

Therefore, the archery club could be awarded a slightly greater budget, and more equipment.

In the mean time, Kagome headed for Sesshoumaru's office to drop her things off.

“Higurashi,” Sesshoumaru greeted.

“Good morning, Takahashi-sensei,” Kagome chirped back. “Thank you for letting me store my archery things here until after class.”

Sesshoumaru nodded in acceptance of the thanks. “When you have joined the club, you will have the use of their storage facilities. I expect you to use them. This is a one-time thing,” he informed her.

“Hai Sensei,” Kagome answered with a smile, rolling her eyes. Of course she'd use the student storage facilities! She wasn't going to take advantage of being friends with the principle!

“And Higurashi,” Sesshoumaru called as she started to reach for the doorknob to let herself out again.

“Hai?”

“If you don't have an acceptable boyfriend by the time you graduate from here, then _I_ will send you to meet the matchmaker,” Sesshoumaru said with a smirk.

Kagome turned red, eyes wide in shock before they narrowed in anger. “Ooh, you are _so_ lucky I don't have a set of subjugation beads around your neck Aniki,” she growled at him before she let herself out.

Sesshoumaru chuckled, amused, as the young miko stormed away from his office. She only ever called him Aniki, acknowledging the close bond between them, when she made that threat – a threat she could have easily followed through with. After all, she _had_ learned, in the ten years before she was sent back, how to make a rosary and imbue it with the spell of subjugation. He remembered watching that lesson with great interest and offering Jaken as a test subject.

~oOo~

The first day of classes was fairly simple. Students were assigned their desks, each student was called upon to introduce themselves to the class – give their name and say a short something about themselves – and then the teacher went over everything they should have covered in middle-school, giving them all a point where he expected them to be when classes _really_ began the next day.

And then the students were released to look around at the various clubs.

The senior students had been released from their classes earlier – handing in their summer homework and being given the first homework of the new school year the only thing they had to worry about on the first day otherwise – and had all the club displays up and ready to draw in the _new_ students.

“The archery club always set up next to the kendo club,” Sesshoumaru informed Kagome when she appeared at his office to collect her gear after she was released from class. “I will walk with you.”

Kagome smiled. “Thanks Sesshoumaru,” she answered.

“By the way,” Sesshoumaru said as they walked, “this uniform suits you better than your previous.”

Kagome raised an incredulous eyebrow at him. He wasn't smirking. He was actually being sincere, not teasing her. “Thank you,” she answered. “Did you design it?”

Sesshoumaru nodded. “I did,” he agreed. “It is based on military uniforms of Europe from approximately the time of the Sengoku.”

“Loosely based on,” Kagome countered with a smirk. “But I _do_ like it better than my old uniform, so I'm not going to complain. You look good in modern clothes as well,” she offered. “I know you _could_ wear hakama...”

“I have discovered the comfort and convenience of modern fashion,” Sesshoumaru countered wryly, a slight smirk on his face. “I save the hakama for kendo uniform and special occasions. Trousers and jeans are quite comfortable, and get me fewer odd looks.”

Kagome nodded in understanding.

“You will need hakama for archery tournaments,” Sesshoumaru pointed out.

“I have a couple of pairs,” Kagome answered.

Sesshoumaru nodded in approval. “Here,” he said. “The archery club. And remember Higurashi, a boyfriend by the time you graduate or I'm calling the matchmaker.”

“Aniki,” Kagome growled after him as he left her in front of where the archery club had set up.

He just smirked over her shoulder and went to see how the kendo club was doing.

Kagome huffed and turned to the archery club's set-up where the taicho was explaining to a couple of other under-classmen about the strictures that the archer club _had_ for its members – including the required demonstration of how well they knew how to handle a bow already, so they knew how to handle them if they joined. The archery club was, after all, something a bit more elite than a good many of the other clubs.

“You're serious?” the taicho asked her, clearly a little incredulous, when she stepped up to the line for her turn.

“I would not have brought my own bow if I were not, Sempai,” Kagome answered, a little sharply.

“I don't think we've ever had a girl in the club who was actually _serious_ before,” he defended, backing off, and gestured for her to take her shots – she would have three. They wanted to be sure that any good or bad shots weren't completely a fluke, after all.

Kagome fired them with the speed she had spent the previous year and summer training back into her younger body, and nodded to herself, satisfied to see all three clustered tightly and neatly in the very centre of the bullseye.

“You're in,” the taicho said shortly.

Kagome smiled happily, and fetched her arrows out of the target so that the next of her peers could step up to try out.

~oOo~

The times had changed. Of course they had. Five hundred years had passed. But it was strange none the less. Five hundred years ago, demons weren't _invisible_ to normal humans. They didn't possess the power to hide themselves so efficiently. Today... only those demons that were strong had to concern themselves with being seen at all. Humans just... didn't have enough awareness of the supernatural any more to be able to see the demons that once terrified them.

Sesshoumaru said it was because of technology.

When the humans had lived closer to the land, even the weakest of them had more spiritual powers than the average human of today. Oh, there were a few humans still who could see demons, who had the powers to draw them in like moths to a flame. But most of Japan simply... forgot. There were still warnings on signs to beware of kappa in the rivers, and a few other similar things, but...

The old ways were being forgotten. The lesser demons were becoming too weak to hold a truly physical form, and were now mere phantoms visible only to a few.

Kagome wasn't sure if she was happy or sad about that. She'd made friends with a number of demons after all, but at the same time, knew that such _friendly_ demons were in the minority.

Or perhaps more accurately, _benevolent_ demons. There seemed to be a lot of demons that wanted to get 'friendly', just... not necessarily to the benefit of the human they wanted to be 'friendly' _with_.

Case in point – the boy with the glasses who looked to everybody else like he was just exhausted as he dragged himself along the pavement to the gate, but to to Kagome looked like he was being crushed by about fifteen lesser demons as he tried to outrun them.

Kagome couldn't help but be at least academically interested by this. There she was, wearing the Shikon no Tama around her neck (hidden by the uniform from _sight_ , but a few bits of normal cloth could hardly hide the aura of the thing), and fifteen minor demons were more interested in the boy across the way. Why? Maybe they'd finally learned that trying to take the jewel from her would only result in their purification?

Kagome picked up a tiny pebble from the ground, charged it a little, and flicked it over the boy's head. It went through three of the fifteen demons, purifying them as it went. The other twelve hung back warily as the boy managed to finally drag himself through the gate – and into the territory of a _much_ more powerful demon than any of them were: Sesshoumaru's territory.

Kagome saw the boy gasp and sigh with relief as he finally pulled himself up straight and walk towards the school building, and shook her head as she wondered to herself how long he'd been running from those lesser demons. He really should have learned that running away would only _encourage_ them. When something ran, it was in the nature of the demon to give chase. It was just how it was.

When she entered her classroom, she spotted him there too. Maybe, just maybe, she'd try and make friends with him. Though, with the Shikon around her neck like a noose, that _could_ be what is known as a _really_ _bad idea_. As such, it would require a great deal of serious thought. A _great_ deal of serious thought. And possibly a conversation with Sesshoumaru. Possibly.

~oOo~

It was hot out, and they had gym. The boys and girls were, for reasons Kagome didn't care about enough to even bother questioning, separated. The boys played soccer, and the girls were led through mat exercises. Actually, being split up like this gave the girls a chance to gossip a little as they were guided through stretches before they each waited their turn to be coached through cartwheels and flips.

“Oh, look at Watanuki-kun,” exclaimed the girl next to Kagome in line, two long curly pigtails hanging fairly loosely – Kunogi Himawari. Kagome liked the girl well enough, but was wary of the aura of bad luck that warped around her. “He's quite the hunk when he's kicking for a goal like that,” she added with a giggle.

Kagome smiled at the other girl, and followed her line of sight. “Ah, so his name is Watanuki,” she said softly, recognising the boy who'd had, er, _hangers on_ nearly every morning when he dragged himself through the school gates. “Do you know him, Kunogi-san?” she asked.

The other girl nodded. “He's an excellent cook,” she announced. “He shared a bento with me that he'd made himself. Oh! And he has an after-school job!”

Kagome smiled. “An admirable thing,” she answered. “But I think I like the goalie on the other team better,” she added in a conspiratorial whisper.

Kunogi raised a hand to giggle behind. “Doumeki-san was certainly impressive, the way he saved,” she agreed. “Ne, ne, Higurashi-san, do you _like_ Doumeki-san?” she asked, just as softly as Kagome had.

Kagome blushed a little. “I- I know Doumeki-san from archery club,” she admitted. “We talk about things.”

“Like...?” Kunogi pressed with a smile.

Kagome rolled her eyes playfully. “Like the stories his grandfather told him, and the stories _my_ grandfather insists on telling _me_ , so that we know all the duties of shrine keepers,” she answered with a smile.

Kunogi blinked. “You live on a shrine, Higurashi-san?” she asked, genuinely and innocently curious about this point.

Kagome nodded. “Hai,” she agreed. “I can do exorcisms, purifications, certain sorts of cleansings,” she counted off on her fingers. “I even know a few spells and a bit about fortune telling,” she added with an almost easy shrug. “And of course, all the stories of the shrine,” she finished.

“Wow Higurashi-san. That all sounds so fascinating!” Kunogi enthused quietly. They _were_ still in class after all. It wouldn't do to get too loud.

Kagome smiled back. “Shall we go and give them our praise for playing so well, even though they aren't on the soccer team, when we are released?” she suggested.

Kunogi nodded. “Un!” she agreed. “I can introduce you to Watanuki-kun too! He's very sweet...”

Kagome smiled a smile that would have looked more at home on Miroku's face. “Will Watanuki-san be receiving Honmei Choco from you come Valentines Day, Kunogi-san?” she asked, teasing slightly.

Kunogi blushed a little, then slumped where she stood. “I... It's... I don't give people choco on Valentines Day, Higurashi-san,” she answered softly. “Bad things happen to people I give choco too...”

Kagome _instantly_ regretted her teasing. “Ne, Kunogi-san, your aura of bad luck sticks to other people who get too close?” she asked gently.

Kunogi gasped softly, eyes wide as they snapped up to Kagome's face. “How did you -?”

“I can see it,” Kagome answered kindly. “I don't think I could get rid of it for you, at least, not permanently, but I can certainly cleanse your aura from any gifts of choco you wanted to give,” she offered. “Even put a blessing on it, if you wanted.”

Kunogi smiled gratefully, and looked like she wanted to cry. “Arigatou,” she said softly.

Kagome nodded, and then she was being called up to make an attempt at a flip. A flip that, mentally, she knew how to perform perfectly (thanks to Sango) but which, _physically_ , it was still just _slightly_ beyond her to nail. It took practice, and she hadn't been too concerned with flips when taking advantage of Sesshoumaru's obstacle course except for as they served her to get her the right way up to land when she was dropped, falling, or thrown from a great height.

Still, her first try was good enough for the sensei, who then released her to go shower and change for her next class, and then called on Kunogi to perform the same flip.

~oOo~

Kagome was changed and had brushed her hair out from the pony-tail she wore it in for gym class (yes, Sango, it _was_ more practical for extensive physical activity, you were right!) in time to see Kunogi hand Watanuki a towel to dry his face with.

“Himawari-chan!” the boy exclaimed in surprised delight once he'd put his glasses back on and could _see_ who'd given him the towel. “Thank you so much!”

Kagome giggled. Oh yeah, crush a _mile_ wide, right there. And poor Kunogi-san, having to keep herself at a careful distance so that her aura didn't hurt the people around her, when she wanted to reciprocate.

“The weather's hot again today,” the girl answered with a smile. “On a day like today, having gym class is really rough.”

“You said it!” Watanuki agreed. “The girls were doing mat exercises?” he asked.

“Uh-huh,” Kunogi answered with a nod and a smile. “And the boys were playing soccer, right? I saw you. When you kicked a goal, Watanuki-kun...” and then she noticed Kagome approaching, and bit her lip as she blushed.

“Now now, Kunogi-san,” Kagome said with a smile. “Don't be shy. If you could tell _me_ you thought he was a hunk, why can't you tell _him_?” she asked as she joined them.

“Me? A hunk?” Watanuki asked, and bashfully waved his hand in denial. “I'd never be a hunk!”

“Leave that for the _girls_ to decide,” Kagome advised.

“Watanuki-kun, this is Higurashi-san,” Kunogi introduced.

“Ah, we're in the same class, I think,” Watanuki answered with a polite nod to Kagome. “It's nice to properly meet you, Higurashi-san.”

Kagome nodded. “You as well, Watanuki-san.”

Kunogi smiled. “The goal keeper for the other team was impressive as well,” she commented lightly. “His name is Shizuka Doumeki-kun, right?” she asked Watanuki, only to blink in surprise when he slumped where he stood. “You're both really good for guys who aren't on the soccer team!”

“He could _never_ block one of my kicks!” Watanuki objected. “It was a fluke, Himawari-chan! No, it would take a _miracle_!”

Kagome giggled. “Then six miracles happened on school grounds today,” she joked happily. This boy was _very_ amusing. Maybe not _stable_ , but then, he _did_ have to deal with very large spirits and all sorts of lesser demons hanging onto him whenever they could.

“Un,” agreed a voice that it seemed Kagome wasn't the _only_ one familiar with. “I blocked _six_ of your kicks,” Doumeki said as he walked up to them, also already changed for his next class. “What is this 'it had to be a miracle' B.S.?”

“Shut up Doumeki,” Watanuki growled. “It was all on purpose! I was nice enough to give you shots that were easy to block!”

“Why would you do that?” Doumeki prodded blandly.

“Be-because...” Watanuki faltered. “I took pity on you!” he rallied loudly.

Kagome giggled. “Your friend is very amusing, Kunogi-san,” she whispered.

“You should hurry or you'll be late to class,” Doumeki advised, and turned to head in.

“I'll see you later, ne Kunogi-san?” Kagome said.

Kunogi nodded, and Kagome hurried off, leaving the other two alone for a little while before they, too, would have to hurry to change and head in for their last class of the day.


	3. Chapter 3

“Oi,” a deep voice called, snapping Kagome out of her contemplation over her bento. It was Doumeki.

“Hello Doumeki-san,” Kagome greeted with a smile. “How are you today?” she asked.

Doumeki shrugged. “Well enough,” he answered. “But Watanuki has asked to use the temple my family keeps for a ghost story night.”

Kagome's happy smile of greeting gentled. “Did you agree?” she asked.

Doumeki nodded and shrugged. “Yeah,” he answered. “But I was wondering if you would be interested in coming,” he said. “The few stories we've traded at archery club... I'm sure you have more than that. I'd like to hear them.”

Kagome blushed a little. Hey, she was sixteen again! So what if she'd been twenty-five not long ago!? She was back to teenage hormones all over again! A little _slack_ for the girl faced with the handsome young man, please. “I- I do,” she agreed. “I'd love to come,” she answered.

Doumeki nodded, and even smiled a little. “Watanuki's boss from his part time job is making the rules for this, from what I could make out from Watanuki's ranting. She's insisting on kimono, and a few odd things like having a bowl of water, candles, and incense. I don't know what she's up to, but Kunogi-san will be there too, so you won't be the only girl.”

Kagome smiled in answer. “You haven't told me what time, or how to get to the temple your family cares for yet, Doumeki-san,” she pointed out.

Doumeki blinked, as though surprised that he'd forgotten, and nodded. “Seven,” he said. “And I'll photocopy a page from the street-directory from the library, and give it to you at club after classes,” he promised.

“Okay,” Kagome agreed with a satisfied nod. Seven... that would have her out late. If Doumeki lived near to the school, then that would be another hour after the ghost stories on the train back home... Well, there wasn't any school tomorrow at least, so she wouldn't have to worry about missing sleep to be on time to class, or missing class if she accidentally slept in after a late night out.

There was the concern of what might happen if someone unsavoury decided to accost her on her way home afterwards though...

“You may stay the night at my home,” Doumeki offered, apparently thinking along the same lines as she was. “I recall you said your family's shrine was an hour away by train. It would be safer for you to stay over than travel alone at night,” he added, the barest hint of a blush tingeing his cheeks.

Kagome smiled sheepishly and blushed a little herself. “Ah, arigato, Doumeki-san,” she answered gratefully. Just because she _could_ take care of herself didn't mean she wanted to _have_ to.

~oOo~

“Haha, is my obi knot straight?” Kagome asked as she walked into the kitchen, her yukata all in place – except for the knot of her obi.

“You're going out?” Mrs Higurashi questioned, even as she wiped her hands and moved to walk around her daughter and check the knot. “It's a little crooked Dear, hold still,” she advised.

Kagome raised a hand to hold her yukata in place, but otherwise remained unmoved as her mother tugged and tucked a little. “I was invited to join in a ghost story night with some of my class mates,” Kagome answered as her obi was tugged at. “And since it's an hour away by train, and there isn't any school tomorrow, I was also invited to stay the night. That's... alright, isn't it?” she checked.

“Of course Kagome,” her mother answered with a smile. “You know I worried last year when you didn't do this sort of thing with your friends. I'm glad you're making new friends now and doing things with them. There, it's straight.”

“Thank you,” Kagome said, and turned to give her mother a kiss on the cheek – which her mother returned.

“It's a very pretty knot Kagome,” Mrs Higurashi complimented. “You did well to tie it yourself, and your hair is lovely. Where did you learn to put it up like that?”

Kagome blushed. “It's just an exaggerated butterfly knot,” she protested, “and a knot-bun with a few strands left out on purpose. It wasn't hard.”

“It's still lovely,” her mother insisted. “Are you taking snacks? An hour on the train, you'll miss dinner.”

“I have a few dried fruit bars that I'm going to eat on the way,” Kagome answered with a smile. “I think it's a bit too hot still, even in the evenings, to want much more than that.”

Mrs Higurashi nodded in allowance. “Alright,” she agreed. “Have you packed what you'll need for staying over night at your friend's house?”

Kagome nodded. “Pyjamas, hairbrush, toothbrush, toothpaste, clean things for the morning, and paper to wrap the kimono and obi in when I take them off,” she counted off.

“Alright then,” Mrs Higurashi said with an approving nod. “Be safe, and have fun.”

“I will,” Kagome answered, and kissed her mother's cheek again before she hurried out of the kitchen to collect her things and head for the train.

~oOo~

“Don't I know it!” Kagome heard as she approached the temple indicated by the map Doumeki had given her. “She's so cute, there are going to be guys falling all over her!”

And then she could see them.

“That's not what I meant,” an older (but by no means _old_ ) woman informed the teen.

This must be Watanuki's boss who Doumeki had mentioned. There was something about her though... something that reminded Kagome of... Sesshoumaru, actually. But the woman wasn't a demon. Or... not _as such_... There was definitely _something_ about her though.

“Oh, more company?” the woman asked, turning slightly when she noticed Kagome.

Kagome smiled as she approached. “Doumeki-san invited me,” she answered. “I'm Higurashi Kagome.”

“Ichihara Yuko,” the woman replied with a friendly smile of her own. “Just call me Yuko.”

Kagome nodded, and looked down. “And who is this?” she asked, squatting a little so that she could look into Yuko's basket – and at the cute little black creature that sat there.

“I'm Mokona Modoki! Shake!” the long-eared puff-ball answered, and extended a paw.

Kagome giggled, and accepted the paw. “Shake,” she agreed, very aware that Watanuki and Yuko were both staring at her – Watanuki in surprise, and Yuko in curiosity. She decided to ignore them though. If they wanted to know something, they could _ask_. “I look forward to hearing _your_ ghost stories tonight, Mokona-san, but for now I hope you will excuse me while I go talk to Doumeki-san?”

Mokona nodded. “Okay! See you soon – um...”

Kagome smiled. “ _You_ call me Kagome-chan, okay Mokona-san?” she said, making it clear that such a liberty was _not_ open to the other two. Or at least, not yet.

“Kagome-chan,” he agreed with another, resolved nod.

Kagome nodded back and straightened up.

“Yo,” Doumeki greeted her.

“Higurashi-san, hello!” Kunogi joined with a smile. “Watanuki-kun didn't tell me you were coming.”

“Doumeki-san invited me,” Kagome answered the other girl. “Is there somewhere I should leave my bag?” she asked Doumeki.

“Aa,” he said with a nod. “I'll show you where, and fetch the things Yuko-san wanted for tonight.”

Kagome smiled, and followed behind the tall boy without a word.

~oOo~

“Ah look,” Yuko said wistfully as they settled in the room Doumeki had led them to for telling ghost stories in. “It seems as though the sky is about to break and fall. The wind itself feels soaked. The _perfect_ atmosphere for telling ghost stories.”

“Oh yes,” Kagome mumbled to herself. “Right next to the preparation room. _Perfect_.” She knew the layout of temples after all. She _knew_ which part of it they were in and what lay behind the shoji screen to the next room.

“Place that over there,” Yuko instructed Watanuki with a gesture from a bowl of water to a corner of the room. “We'll use it in place of the 'suibon' water trough. Next, these candles,” she continued, and once she had one in a holder she lit it. “Light the others from this one, and then each of you walk them out to a corner of the room and place them in the candle stand there.”

Kagome smiled to herself in reminiscence as she followed Yuko's instructions. She'd lost count of the number of times she, Sango, Miroku and Shippo had set up wards like this in old huts on the night of the new moon, to keep InuYasha safe. Without a word from Yuko, Kagome pulled the sharp little razor she had carried in her sleeve (and used to purify a demon with on the _train ride_ to get here tonight) and sliced open the tip of her left pointer finger. With blood on the blade, she set it in the sand of the incense bowl, and then dripped a few more drops on the sand for good measure.

“I wasn't planning to be so formal tonight,” Yuko commented softly.

“Always be properly formal, Yuko-san,” Kagome answered her. “It's safer that way.” And then she stuck her bleeding finger in her mouth to stem the flow and subtly use her powers to heal the cut – the way Sesshoumaru had taught her to.

“Well, then it seems the preparations are complete,” Yuko decided.

“You need to make preparations to tell ghost stories?” Watanuki asked.

Yuko nodded. “There _could_ be more,” she allowed, “but we also could have left it at the water bowl and the candles. Higurashi-san surprised me by knowing that we should have a razor. Still, all the players are present. Now, shall we start the hundred ghost stories ceremony?”

“I've already bled on the razor,” Kagome said with a nod. “So I'm going first.”

That decided, everyone sat down to listen.

“A long time ago,” Kagome began softly, and cast her mind back to the legends she had lived and learned of in the past. “In the time when the warring shoguns ruled Japan, there was a warrior priestess called Midoriko who was known far and wide for her ability to purify the souls and spirits of demons, rendering them powerless. Because of her power, Midoriko was feared by demons, and as with humans, what they feared, they quickly hated.”

Kagome watched as those around her were engrossed in her story, and how they nodded in understanding of the nature of fear that breeds hate.

“A wicked man, called Magatsuhi, desired to have her for his own or deny the world of her presence entirely,” she continued. “He _became_ a demon out of his desire for the priestess, a creature of hate and lust that absorbed the bodies of other demons to make himself stronger, and with many other demons at his side, Magatsuhi ambushed Midoriko.”

Kunogi gasped, eyes wide, shocked.

Watanuki broke out in a sweat.

“For seven days and nights, they fought without rest. Every demon that Midoriko cut down, Magatsuhi absorbed into himself until finally it was just the two of them. Magatsuhi swept her up, and would have eaten Midoriko as well, his love for her forgotten in his lust for her power,” Kagome recited.

Yuko leant forward, eager to hear what happened.

Doumeki had long given her his full attention.

Even little Mokona was intent on her tale.

“Midoriko, in one final attempt to defeat Magatsuhi despite her own great injuries, forced out his soul and her own soul from their respective bodies. Both of them died, but their souls combined to create the Shikon no Tama, where they remain imprisoned, battling for eternity, their souls condemned to never be released to the afterlife,” Kagome finished.

“Wow,” Kunogi breathed.

“You're really very good at telling these stories, Higurashi-san,” Yuko complimented. “Where did you hear that one?”

Kagome smiled a little as she reached for the incense. “It is the beginning of a legend that is closely tied to the shrine that my family are the keepers of,” she answered. “It is no mere tale, but  _truth_ ,” she added firmly.

Watanuki was still shaking.

“In any case, there was certainly _one_ person who felt the story's full effect,” Doumeki commented as he sent the other boy a pointed look.

“What's that supposed to mean?!” Watanuki demanded, snapped out of his fear by anger.

“It means what it means,” Doumeki answered blandly.

“I was _not_ scared!” Watanuki protested.

Yuko clapped twice, calling them back to task. “Who's next?” she asked.

“That would be me,” Doumeki said. “My grandfather told me this story.”

They all settled down, back into their places, to listen.

“He was out on his rounds, visiting the temple regulars, when he saw a woman at a crossing. Her hair was thin and ragged, she showed no interest in anything, and she gave off an aura that he didn't like. My grandfather only watched her out of the corner of his eye, and he whispered to himself 'she looks like a ghost'. She turned to him, and asked 'how did you know?'”

Watanuki gasped, hands up over his mouth as he shuddered where he sat.

“Was your grandfather the main priest at this temple?” Yuko asked.

“Hai,” Doumeki agreed with a nod.

“Did he see many spirits?” she pressed.

“I'd guess so,” he allowed. “I heard lots of stories like that one.”

“Then ...that blood flows in _you_ , _too_ ,” Yuko informed him serenely, a mysterious smile on her face.

Kagome smiled as well. “Goodie,” she said. “Someone  _new_ to train with.”

“Eh?” the boys questioned together, but before Kagome could answer, there was a noise from the next room. A room that _should_ have been silent.

“What's that? Is there someone in that room?” Watanuki asked, distracted.

“If you put it that way,” Doumeki answered, “yes.”

“What's with the vague answer?” Watanuki grumbled. “Is it a family member?”

“No. A supporter of the temple,” Doumeki answered. “Or rather, his remains.”

“What's that?” Watanuki asked weakly.

“A corpse waiting for the funeral rites, Watanuki-san,” Kagome explained plainly. “All shrines and temples perform such duties. Don't get upset about it.”

“A _corpse_?!” Watanuki yelped. “Uh... uh, is there a mourner in there with them? A window open making that noise?”

“Just the remains,” Doumeki said. “And there are no windows in that room.”

Kagome sighed sadly. “The reason for that is a really  _sad_ ghost story,” she offered. “A really  _good_ sad ghost story.”

“As I said,” Yuko stated with a wicked smile. “All the players are present.”

“When you said 'players', did you include some restless corpse?!” Watanuki demanded, near hysterically.

“Watanuki-san, calm down,” Kagome ordered. “It's fine as long as you don't try to leave. Yuko-san made sure of it.”

“Huh?”

Yuko smiled again. “Indeed. While the ceremony is in progress, no one is allowed beyond the wards,” she explained.

“Wards?” Watanuki asked, fear lost for a moment in his confusion. Only a moment though.

Yuko nodded. “The four candles on their stands. They're wards. Strengthened by Higurashi-san's blood on the razor. This room is protected by that power, but I cannot speak for the world beyond them,” she warned her employee. “Until the hundred ghost story ceremony is over, you can't leave.”

“Does that mean we actually need to tell a hundred stories?” Kunogi asked, somewhere between curious and nervous.

“If we were being formal, then yes,” Yuko agreed. “But we aren't really, so four rounds should suffice.”

“Four stories each?” Doumeki clarified.

“Hai,” Yuko answered. “They say a four-count is a count that can communicate with the underworld.”

“I've never heard that before!” Kunogi said, wide eyed as she shifted closer to Yuko, wanting to hear more.

“They don't put four on room numbers in hospitals,” Yuko pointed out.

“Oh, they don't!” Kunogi agreed. “I'd noticed that, but never knew why.”

“A long time ago, they called a crossroads that went to four different places by the characters for 'four worlds': 'Shikai',” Doumeki said.

“But if you change the character for 'four' to 'death', Shikai can take you to the world of the dead,” Kagome contributed.

“That's what they believed,” Doumeki finished with a nod.

“Knew,” Kagome corrected softly. “They _knew_. Today, people just don't see as well as they used to.” Then she looked over to where Mokona was sitting in the basket. “Well, most people,” she corrected.

“What is with all this calm conversation?!” Watanuki demanded.

Kagome waved him off. “We're safe, Watanuki-san,” she reminded him. “The wards will keep out any hungry spirits.”

“But if we let the place get any more active, then...” Yuko mused, deliberately trailing off.

“Then?” Watanuki asked, settling down into worrying like a normal person.

“Himawari-chan, are you alright?” Yuko asked, ignoring her employee and his fears.

“I'm fine,” Kunogi answered. “If we started something, we'd better finish.”

Youko chuckled. “Such a good little child,” she cooed, catching a finger under Kunogi's chin, and giving her an approving look – an action that sent Watanuki into another fit. “In any case,” Yuko said, sitting back. “Shall we resume?” she suggested.

Kunogi took her turn, telling them about a hotel that had an unaccounted-for room, and that when it was finally found, the shut up room had red writing all over the walls begging 'father please let me out!'

Watanuki was, again, very effected by the story, but took his turn just the same – telling about a boy who had talked to him through the window of the nurse's office, but the window was on the third floor and there was no way the boy could have been there.

“It _is_ strange,” Kunogi observed as Watanuki lit a stick of incense. “I wonder what that kid was?”

“He was a ghost,” Doumeki and Kagome both answered at the same time.

“You can see spirits?” Watanuki asked.

“No. Not at all,” Doumeki answered immediately.

“Oh,” Watanuki said, slumping a little.

“Just because one can't _see_ spirits doesn't mean one can't _deal_ with them,” Yuko said slyly. “But it's the end of the round, and that means it's my turn. Now... that thing showing on the paper shoji door behind me,” she said, not even turning to look. “What do you think it is?”

Kagome's eyes widened in recognition. It had been so long ago, and it had been a different one, but she  _knew_ what that was. “The Unmother,” she breathed.

The room began to shake – but the water in the bowl was still.

“Watanuki-kun, behind you!” Kunogi cried in alarm.

“Huh?” Watanuki turned. “AH!”

A thump, one of the stands fell, breeze rushed through...

“And the wards are snuffed out,” Yuko noted, as every candle flame was doused.

Arms reached through the shoji and grabbed onto Watanuki, naturally causing him to scream.

“Watanuki-kun!” Kunogi cried in fear and distress, rising to her feet. She wanted to do _something_ to help, but didn't know what to to. Tears began to fall down her face. “My bad luck,” she whispered, horrified. “Ah! Higurashi-san! Behind you as well!”

Yuko instructed Doumeki to take the display bow and draw it.

“But I don't have any arrows,” Doumeki objected, even as he took the bow down. “And who do I -”

“Watanuki-san,” Kagome answered, cutting him off as she drew a decorative but sharp stick from her bun.

“It's alright,” Yuko assured him. “Alright for _you_.”

Doumeki drew back the bow. Kagome raised the stick in her hand. He released. She plunged it down into the demon she did not even turn to identify. It did not have Sesshoumaru's aura, therefore she wasn't killing anyone she knew and cared for. Just another minor demon after the jewel at her neck.

In front of them all, the many arms coagulated and were drawn forth from the shoji by Doumeki's power. Behind her, the demon turned to dust. Between the two, where Yuko sat, both were drawn in, until...

“Thank you,” Mokona said with a smile as he patted his stomach. “It was delicious.”

“Blech,” Watanuki objected, shifting away from the black puff-ball.

“Eh?” Kunogi asked, surprised. She had been under the impression that Monoka was just a stuffed toy.

“Huh?” Doumeki questioned.

“You're welcome, Mokona-san,” Kagome answered, a smile on her face.

~oOo~

“It's a latent psychic power,” Yuko said, explaining how Doumeki was able to exorcise the spirits, to fire with no bow on his arrow, but rather his 'chi' instead. “You don't control it with your will.”

“I do,” Kagome countered. “Took a lot of training,” she added, “but it's possible.”

“That would follow,” Doumeki agreed. “A long time ago, my grandfather used to exorcise evil spirits. My father tried to as well, but he couldn't.”

“Ne, ne, Higurashi-san,” Kunogi asked, shuffling a little closer to her. “It's really terrific, isn't it? That Doumeki-kun can do these things?”

Kagome smiled back at the excitable girl. “Hai,” she agreed.

“I'll get some drinks,” Doumeki said, getting up from the porch where they'd been sitting – eating watermelon provided by his mother. “Is tea alright with everyone?”

“Yes... but, if you could...” Yuko answered, a hesitant smile on her face.

“I want beer!” Mokona cheered.

“Beer, huh?” Doumeki said.

“Ask _politely_ , Mokona-san,” Kagome scolded, tapping him on the blue jewel on his forehead.

“Please,” Mokona said.

Kagome nodded. “Better,” she approved. “Do you want some help, Doumeki-san?” she asked.

“Sure,” he agreed, a slight smile on his face.

Kagome smiled back and got up from where she'd been sitting to hurry after him.

“So...” Doumeki said once it was just the two of them away from the others. “What was _your_ first time using your spiritual powers like?” he asked.

“A centipede demon tried to kidnap me,” Kagome answered. “I screamed, and tried to push her off me. There was a flash of light that made me close my eyes, and when I looked again all that was left of her was an arm.” All true. It just left out that the demon had successfully dragged her from her home through a well with a time-portal in the bottom that had taken her back to the Sengoku.

“Why would -?” Doumeki half-asked, confused.

Kagome shuddered involuntarily. “Best you don't know,” she answered. “At least for now,” she added. “Maybe some day I'll tell you the whole thing.”

Doumeki nodded in acceptance, and pushed open the door to the kitchen.


	4. Chapter 4

“You're making friends?” Sesshoumaru asked softly as Kagome did her cool down stretches after a run of the obstacle course.

“Hai,” Kagome agreed. “Friends almost as strange as the friends I made before,” she added with a smile.

“Explain.”

“Kunogi-san has bad luck in her aura. The sort of bad luck that catches up the people around her if she and they aren't _very_ careful. She tries to be cheerful despite that though. Watanuki-san can see spirits, and they are attracted to him, but he has no idea how to get rid of them. Doumeki-san is in the archery club with me, and had no idea he was an exorcist until the night before last, when Yuko-san – oh, that's Watanuki's boss – told him to take the bow and draw it, even though he didn't have an arrow, and he exorcised the spirits that were trying to grab Watanuki-san while we were telling ghost stories. Yuko-san herself, there's something different about her that I can't put my finger on. And Mokona-san,” Kagome finished. “A black little puff ball with a stomach that must be bigger on the inside than the outside, since he sucked up all the spirits that Doumeki-san exorcised.”

“A black _puff ball_ ,” Sesshoumaru repeated.

Kagome nodded. “Yup! I'm not sure exactly what Yuko-san does, or what Watanuki-san does  _for_ her, but I'm fairly sure she has a good idea about the supernatural.”

“Yuko...” Sesshoumaru mused. “ _Ichihara_ Yuko?” he questioned.

Kagome blinked. “You know her?” she asked.

Sesshoumaru nodded. “We only met once,” he answered. “But I know that she attends the hyakki-yakou procession when it comes around each year.”

Kagome blinked. “I thought any human that did that  _died_ ,” she said, sitting up from reaching for her ankles. She had a feeling that Yuko wasn't completely human, but –

“Unless vouched for,” Sesshoumaru stated. “On which note, would you care to attend?” he offered.

“With this thing around my neck?” Kagome asked wryly, gesturing to where the Shikon rested against her collarbone. “Is that a good idea?”

“Miko, you should know that you would be safe. I do not generally attend, but I would not send you alone. You would be under my protection, and are hardly defenceless yourself if we should be separated,” Sesshoumaru pointed out. “But you have plenty of time yet to make up your mind on this matter.”

Kagome smiled. “Thank you, Sesshoumaru,” she said softly.

“Hn. Just let me know if you'll be seeing Yuko again,” he told her. “She hardly ever leaves her shop any more, and I do not generally attended the hyakki-yakou, and so do not see her there either.”

Kagome nodded. “I will,” she promised.

~oOo~

“Higurashi-san, will you come for a picnic in the park after you get out of club today?” Kunogi asked at lunch.

“Sure,” Kagome answered with a smile. “The park just down the street from here?”

Kunogi nodded. “Hai!”

“Will I need to bring something to share?” Kagome asked. “Who else is coming?”

“Iie,” Kunogi said with a shake of her head. “Watanuki-kun will bring a large bento to share,” she explained. “And Doumeki-kun, Yuko-san, and Mokona-chan are coming as well.

“Alright,” Kagome agreed. “I'll see you then!”

Except that, when Kagome eventually got to the park (she'd stopped by Sesshoumaru's office to let him know about the picnic with Yuko, and he was just a couple of steps behind her at present), Kunogi wasn't there. Doumeki, Watanuki, Yuko and Mokona were though, and Yuko had brought a red steel baseball bat along with her that had 'Executioners Sword' written on it in the thick black strokes of a permanent marker.

“Bring it!” Yuko ordered, focused intently on Watanuki, the bat raised high over her shoulders and her stance aggressive, especially in that short dress she was wearing. “Give it to me!”

“Hyaa!” Watanuki yelled as he threw the ball he'd apparently been holding.

Yuko smacked it and it was away.

“Nooooo!” Watanuki cried as he watched the ball helplessly as it went up, up, up – until it was _caught_.

Caught by Sesshoumaru. In his claws rather than his teeth, and yes, they  _were_ claws again. The black faded from his silver hair and the tan skin of most Japanese men faded to Sesshoumaru's fine alabaster complexion. His markings were visible too when he landed from his incredible jump to catch the ball.

“Sometimes,” Sesshoumaru informed Kagome as he dropped the ball into her hand. “Just sometimes, the instincts of an inu are _not_ so welcome.”

Kagome bit her lip and did her  _very_ best not to giggle. “Will it make you feel better to know that I once got InuYasha to play fetch, and he brought the stick back in his mouth and just about  _begged_ me to throw it again?” she asked.

“Amusing as the visual is, no,” Sesshoumaru answered, a very slight smirk tugging at his lips.

“Inu no Taisho-sama,” Yuko greeted, eyes a little wide. “What a surprise.”

Sesshoumaru raised a silver eyebrow at the woman. “Ichihara-san,” he greeted in return. “Miko, I have not met your other friends,” Sesshoumaru reminded Kagome.

“Sesshoumaru, these boys are Doumeki Shizuka-san, and Watanuki Kimihiro-san. The little black puff is Mokona Modoki,” Kagome presented, “and we're still waiting on Kunogi Himawari-san,” she added. “Minna, this is the great and terrible Sesshoumaru-sama, Inu no Taisho, and Lord of the Western Lands – upon which we are presently standing – and the most powerful demon in all of Nippon.”

“D-d-d- _demon_?” Watanuki stuttered out.

Sesshoumaru nodded. “Demon,” he confirmed, and cocked his head curiously. “Approach me, Watanuki Kimihiro,” he ordered.

Watanuki broke out in a sweat and hesitantly took a step  _back_ .

Kagome rolled her eyes, grabbed his wrist, and dragged him forward.

Sesshoumaru bent slightly, sniffed, and straightened again. “You are the one the Miko told me drew spirits and lesser demons to you. It is very interesting,” he decided, then glanced at Doumeki. “I take it therefore, that  _you_ are the exorcist.”

Doumeki nodded. “It seems that way,” he answered warily.

“Approach me,” Sesshoumaru ordered the other boy.

Doumeki didn't need to be dragged, and simply stepped up to stand beside Watanuki.

Sesshoumaru leant over and sniffed – not having to  _bend_ even as little as he had to for Watanuki – then drew back. “You will require training,” he informed the boy. “Miko.”

“Hai, Sesshoumaru?” she replied, though she had a fairly good idea of where this was going.

The Mokona started floating suddenly and projected an image from the bauble on his brow.

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow at the sight, but otherwise showed no further interest in the matter before he continued. “I will hold you responsible for the training of Doumeki Shizuka. You may apply to this Sesshoumaru for scrolls on the matter, but it is in your hands,” he informed the girl.

Kagome sighed. “Hai, Sesshoumaru,” she agreed.

“I'm beginning to believe that nothing I see is real,” Doumeki complained softly.

Kagome giggled. “Sorry Doumeki-san,” she said, “but Sesshoumaru is as real as it gets.”

“Why can I _not_ see all the spirits and such that Watanuki sees, but I _can_ see you?” Doumeki asked Sesshoumaru.

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow and looked to Kagome, directing her to answer. He  _had_ just allotted the task of teaching the boy to  _her_ , after all.

Kagome sighed. “There are a few reasons,” Kagome began. “First of all, Sesshoumaru is several orders of magnitude more powerful than the ones that normally hang around Watanuki-san, so powerful that  _not_ being seen is actually the harder. Second, because we ningen are not as connected with the land as we once were, we also lack the slight power it granted all of us inherently to see – and be able to respond to – all the threats around us, such as spirits.”

“So why can _I_ see them at _all_?” Watanuki begged.

“Because of your blood,” Sesshoumaru answered the boy shortly. “You lack the power to do anything about that which you see, but it is because of your blood that you see them, and because of your blood that they are drawn to you.”

“Minna!” a voice called from the edge of the park.

“Himawari-chan!” Watanuki answered, stars in his eyes, instantly cheered simply by her approaching presence.

“Sorry I'm late,” Kunogi apologised as she reached them and set her bag down. “Especially when I'm the one who asked you to come! Oh, uh...” Kunogi stopped, blinking in surprise at Sesshoumaru's presence.

“Sesshoumaru, this is Kunogi Himawari-san. Kunogi-san, this is the great and terrible Sesshoumaru-sama, Inu no Taisho, and Lord of the Western Lands – upon which we are presently standing – and the most powerful demon in all of Nippon,” Kagome said, repeating her introduction from earlier.

Kunogi bowed hesitantly before him. “Pleased to meet you,” she said, eyes still wide.

Sesshoumaru nodded in return. He didn't need to  _smell_ the girl to  _see_ the bad luck that twisted in her aura. If he were capable of the emotion, she would have had his pity.

“I think it's time we broke out the bento,” Yuko stated firmly, and soon the blanket was down and everybody but Sesshoumaru had taken something (he still disdained what he called 'human food', it seemed). “Now,” Yuko said once she'd finished her first rice ball. “What was it you wanted to ask, Himawari-chan?”

“Actually...” Kunogi said, hesitating. “There's a girl who lives near me – she's a student too, but at a different school... and something... _really_ _bad_ seems to be happening there lately...”

“'Really bad'?” Yuko pressed.

“Angel-san has gotten really popular over there, and I'm not sure if it's related or not, but something really strange has been going on since...” Kunogi explained shyly. “I thought you'd be the one to know something, Yuko-san, so...”

“Angel-san?” Watanuki asked, curious.

“Also called 'Prophet-san', and 'Kokkuri-san', now called 'Angel-san' because it sounds nicer,” Kagome said.

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes. “That is not something foolish ningen with no knowledge of spirits should be playing with,” he said firmly. “I have no tolerance for it.”

“You write out fifty characters on a large piece of paper,” Yuko explained to Watanuki. “Letters, numbers, and other things, then you hold a pencil or a ten-yen piece on the paper, call on a certain something, and get the answers to questions depending on how it moves.”

“The 'certain something' is where the problem is,” Kagome explained. “For a person trained in such things, 'Angel-san' is a useful method of divination. For someone who is just playing though, treating it as a game... they'll be taken advantage of by the very 'something' that they call on for guidance. That's if they actually have any power.”

“If they don't?” Watanuki asked hopefully. “Most people _don't_ have power, after all...”

“Then it's worse,” Sesshoumaru informed the boy flatly.

“So it _is_ dangerous!” Kunogi exclaimed softly. “I _thought_ it might be...”

“You want to help this neighbour of yours?” Yuko asked Kunogi, almost bending over the girl as she asked the question – giving an ample view of her impressive cleavage to a person who didn't even glance at it.

“Hai,” Kunogi answered. “I'm kind of worried, and if I can help...”

“Which school?” Sesshoumaru asked. Kunogi named it, and the gold of Sesshoumaru's eyes darkened briefly. He stood and started walking.

“Sesshoumaru?” Kagome asked before he got too far.

“Come, Miko. Bring your exorcist. We will deal with the matter at once,” he ordered. “I will not have worthless trash causing trouble in _my_ domain.”

“He is not _my_ exorcist!” Kagome protested, blushing.

“Miko,” Sesshoumaru said. “Do not make this one repeat himself.”

Kagome sighed. “Right,” she grumbled. “Better come along, Doumeki-san.”

Confused, Doumeki got up nonetheless, and followed after the demon he didn't know was his principle, and the girl who was in Watanuki's class.

~oOo~

The four of them stood in front of the gates – Yuko had ordered Watanuki to go after them, for reasons unknown, so they were four instead of three – and... weren't doing anything.

“Miko, what do you sense beyond the gate?” Sesshoumaru asked.

“It hardly needs sensing,” Kagome answered with a pointed glance at the great coils she could see through the fence that were wrapped around the school. “But...” she sniffed. “Ugh, _trash_ was the _right_ word. It stinks in there.”

“Exorcist?” Sesshoumaru called.

“I don't smell anything,” he answered.

“Miko.”

Kagome sighed. “Close your eyes, Doumeki-san,” she said, and placed a hand on his shoulder. “I want you to focus on whatever you felt when you were drawing the bow back the other night, and breathe deeply.”

Doumeki inhaled and exhaled, his eyes shut.

“Can you feel the same power that flowed out of you that night?” Kagome asked after she'd watched him take a few deep breaths.

Doumeki's brow scrunched together, but a moment later, he nodded.

Kagome caught Sesshoumaru's gaze, and he flared his youki.

“Aah!” Watanuki yelped.

Doumeki's eyes snapped open – wide open – and he whipped around to Sesshoumaru, rather than the classmate who had made a noise.

“You felt _that_ ,” Sesshoumaru stated with certainty.

Doumeki nodded.

Watanuki cried out again as the head of a great serpent loomed over them.

Doumeki frowned, he couldn't see whatever was making Watanuki act so pathetically.

Kagome lifted her hand from Doumeki's shoulder and moved it to cover his left eye. “Now stand on one foot,” she instructed. “It looks stupid, and I don't know  _how_ , but it works. So it will have to do for until you can get the hang of seeing them normally.”

“My Lord,” the massive snake greeted Sesshoumaru.

Doumeki's single uncovered eye visibly widened.

“Kurochi,” Sesshoumaru greeted the serpent in turn. “There is something rotting in your territory. When was the last time you cleaned?”

“Forgive me, my Lord,” the massive snake, Kurochi, answered. “I have been enjoying sleeping in the sun too much, and then as the months finally begin to cool, I find it more difficult to muster the energy to move.”

“Hn,” Sesshoumaru grunted. “You are getting _lazy_. This Sesshoumaru granted you a responsibility when you were permitted this territory on his lands.”

“Forgive me, my Lord,” Kurochi answered, bowing his large head – and then his tongue flickered out, and his eyes grew wide. He swung around slightly to fix his gaze on the three teenagers. “So _tasty_ ,” he hissed delightedly.

“Kurochi,” Sesshoumaru growled dangerously, his youki and aura both flaring in a warning.

The snake backed down. “Forgive me, my Lord,” he begged again.

Sesshoumaru snorted. “You are too base,” he scolded. “You have duties to see to,” he reminded the snake. “This Sesshoumaru  _will_ see you complete them this day.”

The massive snake bowed his head again and slithered off, coiling around the school again and again until it reached the roof – where it opened its great jaws wide before it snapped them closed again, tongue flicking out in a satisfied manner.

Kagome sighed. “Much better,” she approved, and removed her hand from Doumeki's face.

He set his raised foot on the ground again when she did so, and blinked a few times. “I don't see the snake any more,” he commented.

“You just need practice,” Kagome told him with a smile. “Ne, Watanuki-san, you can go and tell Kunogi-san and Yuko-san that the problem is fixed now!”

“Himawari-chan!” Watanuki cried happily, and practically danced away.

Kagome smiled after him, shaking her head. “He really is very amusing,” she said.

“He is ridiculous,” Sesshoumaru corrected. “If I believed I had such authority over you, Miko, I would order you to desist associating with him. However, this Sesshoumaru knows how to pick his battles, unlike his foolish half-brother.”

Kagome bit her tongue to keep it from saying anything she would regret later, like bringing up his matchmaker threat, and simply nodded silently.

Sesshoumaru gave a nod, and turned to walk off. As he gained distance from them, his silver hair turned black again, he grew tanned, and his markings faded away.

“How does no one notice him when he has silver hair?” Doumeki asked.

Kagome smiled. “Sesshoumaru has had  _centuries_ to learn the magics he has deemed necessary,” she answered, before the smile fell from her face. “But in that case, there's hardly any needed. People often skip over things they don't want or expect to see. A beggar in the street, someone being mugged, a person who looks different to the norm.”

Doumeki nodded in understanding, and changed the subject. “What was it that the snake ate?” he asked.

Kagome canted her head, and silently gestured for them to walk, rather than just stand in the gate of a school that wasn't theirs as they had this conversation. “Simply put, the dregs of the students of that school,” Kagome answered. “That is what Kurochi-san ate. Because the students had no idea how to really summon spirits to answer their questions, so for all their trying, it was only empty effort – which was boring,” Kagome explained.

Doumeki nodded to show that he understood so far.

“Because it's boring, and not working, the students start to think that it would be _better_ for bad things to happen. Whether that's scary or weird things appearing, or for someone to die. They don't care who, really. Just... _someone_. Because it would be _interesting_ ,” Kagome continued. “All of that eventually piles up, but curses don't need much to take on a life of their own, even the 'innocent' curses of bored students. To those of us who know better, we call it trash.”

“Uh-huh,” Doumeki said softly. “And the snake _ate_ this trash...”

“Because it was in his territory,” Kagome said with a nod. “It's Kurochi-san's job to keep his territory clean, and curses never _move on_ , so he couldn't just force it out of the school. Eating it was the most expedient method Kurochi-san had for getting rid of it.”

“And I was brought along because...”

Kagome smiled up at the young man who was walking beside her. “Because Sesshoumaru was ready to get you to exorcise, or at least  _try_ to exorcise, Kurochi-san from the territory that had been granted to him if he had objected to cleaning up the mess.”

“I could have exorcised that massive snake?” Doumeki asked, surprised.

Kagome shook her head. “Not on your own,” she answered. “Not yet anyway. That's why I was there too, and Sesshoumaru of course. But, any practice is good practice.”


	5. Chapter 5

“Whatever it was you did, it sure worked!” Kunogi praised once they had sat down together for lunch at school the next day. “Since you went, there aren't any more reports of strange things happening!”

“It, ah, wasn't really _us_ at all, Himawari-chan,” Watanuki explained bashfully, one hand behind his head, the other holding his rice ball. “We just stood there and watched.”

“So, it was Sesshoumaru-sama?” Kunogi asked as she picked some vegetables from her bento with her chopsticks.

“He did more than any of us,” Kagome answered, nodding as she chose a strip of chicken from her own bento. “But he really just stood there too. He had assigned the protection of that school to a lesser demon -”

“Lesser?!” Watanuki yelped. “That snake was _huge_!”

“And Sesshoumaru is even _bigger_ in his true form,” Kagome countered with a smile. “But yes, lesser. Anyway, Sesshoumaru had assigned the protection of the school to a lesser demon, but it had basically been sleeping on the job. I suppose the best way to explain was that Sesshoumaru kicked the other demon awake and ordered it to do its job or cede its territory to another demon who would _not_ be so lazy.”

Kunogi nodded, wide-eyed, in understanding as she took that information in. “Uh-huh,” she said softly. “Um...” she hesitated, and brought out a cellophane bag of cupcakes. “I wanted to thank you for what you did, so I bought these from the bakery near my house... but if it was Sesshoumaru-sama... or another demon I should give them too...”

Kagome shook her head and took the bag from the other girl. “Demons generally disdain human food,” she said. “There are some exceptions, but I know that Sesshoumaru is a _little_ bit of a food-snob.”

“And the snake?” Doumeki asked.

“Oh, he'd happily eat any one of _us_ ,” Kagome answered with a small smile. “I will pass your thanks on to Sesshoumaru,” Kagome promised Kunogi, “but we're really better off eating the cupcakes ourselves.”

Kunogi smiled, nodded, and gestured for Kagome to open the bag.

“Oh! It's you!” a voice called just as Kagome got the ribbon on the bag undone, startling them all slightly. It was a young woman, professionally dressed. “You work at that shop, don't you?” she asked, clearly addressing Watanuki.

“Ah, yes,” Watanuki answered, eyes wide.

“And you're a student here? I'll be working here starting tomorrow,” the woman said, a smile on her face. “Educational training.”

“Really?” Watanuki asked politely, though also clearly surprised.

“Isn't fate an odd thing?” the woman asked with a smile. It was clearly meant to be a rhetorical question.

Kagome answered it anyway. “I _particularly_ like its sense of humour,” she said dryly, and viciously bit into her cupcake.

“Eh?” the woman asked, confused, then apparently waved it off. “Things like this always happen to me. They say I've got strong luck. Whenever I think something will go a certain way, it always does. If I want something, I always get it,” she boasted lightly.

Kagome raised an eyebrow. “Never had the 'you cannot always have what you want' lesson, then?” she asked lowly, her muttering only heard by Doumeki and Kunogi who sat on either side of her.

“This too,” the woman said, and dug a beautifully decorated little tube out of her handbag. “I don't know what's inside yet, but I know it's something perfect for me!”

Kagome narrowed her eyes at the object. She _recognised_ that. She'd helped seal it up in the distant past, about seven years into the quest for the jewel. Before she could say anything though, the class bell sounded.

“Well, I won't be at this school long, but any help you can give me will be appreciated!” the woman said happily, waving as she started to head for the building.

“Did you meet her at Yuko-san's shop?” Kunogi asked Watanuki.

“Yeah,” the boy answered.

“What's that cylinder?” Doumeki asked.

“The Monkey's Paw is sealed inside,” Kagome answered, at the same time as Watanuki said “I don't know.”

“But Yuko-san told her not to open it,” Watanuki continued, then his ears caught up with what Kagome had said. “Eh?! How do you know that?”

“What's the Monkey's Paw, Higurashi-san?” Kunogi asked, as she began to pack up her bento.

“It grants wishes,” Kagome said shortly. “And she intends to open that container despite Yuko-san telling her _not_ to.”

“How do you get that?” Watanuki asked, equal parts curious and worried.

“She said: _I don't know what's inside yet_. The fact that she doesn't know _yet_ means that someday she _will_ know,” Doumeki pointed out. “She fully intends to see what is in there with her own eyes.”

Watanuki's eyes widened behind his glasses. “...Ah,” he said softly in understanding, and hurried to pack up the rest of the bento and the picnic blanket they were sharing. They had to get to class after all.

~oOo~

Quietly, Kagome changed out of her regular school uniform and into a cream kimono and the grey hakama of her archery club uniform, stuck deep in thought as she dressed herself in the complicated garments automatically. There was a competition coming up, so they had extra practices at the moment. But that wasn't what Kagome was thinking about. Nor was she thinking about some complicated bit of school work or a difficult assignment that had to be done. No, the subject that had Kagome's attention was the young woman attending their school for educational training: Nanami-san.

Kagome was barely aware of collecting her arrows and bow, of moving to take position in front of a target. Her first arrow was dead centre. Her second arrow was so close that it almost shaved the fletching off the top of the first, and likely would have if it hadn't been ever-so- _slightly_ to the right. Her third arrow was just as close, but beneath and barely to the left rather than above to the right.

Kagome reached for a fourth arrow, but a hand over hers stopped her. She looked up in surprise to see Doumeki.

“You are scaring the other club members,” he informed her softly.

Kagome blinked and canted her head slightly to the side. “Huh?” she asked, confused.

Doumeki huffed slightly and smirked in amusement at her. “You just released three arrows into the centre of the bullseye in as many seconds,” he informed her. “Without appearing to aim, without a glove, and without restraining your sleeve,” he added, giving a gentle tug on one of the full sleeves of her cream kimono that was dangling loosely.

The rest of the members of the archery club were wearing off-white kosode that had sleeves which stopped at the elbow, so as not to interfere with the bowstring. Kagome's full sleeves – both in length and depth – really _should_ have given her _some_ sort of problem with her archery. But they hadn't. She'd had to fire a bow in full miko garb enough times that they didn't bother her – even if there was a high wind that would have had the sleeves _really_ getting in the way.

And an arrow a second – an important skill when in a deadly situation – was really _extremely_ fast for the formalised shooting of the club.

“Oh,” Kagome said softly, and blushed a little in embarrassment at having inadvertently shown off.

“Oh,” Doumeki repeated with a solemn nod. “Come, sit, and talk to me about what is bothering you,” he instructed gently, guiding her away from where she had been facing the target and waving for someone else to collect her arrows so someone else could practice.

Kagome, head hanging as she tried to hide her face beneath her fringe, allowed herself to be directed to a corner of the room and sat down.

“It's the Monkey's Paw, isn't it?” Doumeki asked softly, “and Nanami-san having it.”

Kagome nodded in silent answer.

Doumeki nodded as well, and repeated Watanuki's question from earlier that Kagome hadn't answered. “How do you know it's the Monkey's Paw in that tube?” he asked, still keeping his voice soft.

“Because _I put it there_ ,” Kagome answered, her eyes – haunted and dark – flashing up at him suddenly as those words whispered out from between her teeth.

“Higurashi, a word,” the deep, commanding voice of Principle Takahashi called from the door of the club. Golden-brown eyes glanced at Doumeki seated, knee-to-knee, with the girl he'd just called. “Doumeki-san, you also,” he added.

“Hai, Takahashi-sensei,” they both answered, and Doumeki stood first so that he could help Kagome to her feet.

“Excuse the intrusion,” Takahashi said with a nod to the captain of the club as the two students he'd called walked towards him and slipped through the door he was holding open. Once they were out, he shut the door. “This one is prepared to _trust_ in your honour and discretion, Doumeki-san,” Takahashi said as he led the two students to an out-of-the-way corner.

Doumeki nodded, slightly confused, when the black faded from the principle's hair completely and skin paled, leaving colourful markings standing out. Doumeki blinked in surprise. “Sesshoumaru-sama,” Doumeki greeted softly, bowing slightly in recognition of the powerful demon that was also his school principle.

Sesshoumaru nodded in acceptance and turned vividly golden eyes on Kagome. “Miko, restrain your aura,” he ordered firmly.

Kagome breathed in deeply and closed her eyes. She released the breath, breathed in again, nodded, and released, then opened her eyes. “Sorry, Sesshoumaru,” she said.

“Hn. What has upset you, Miko?” he asked, voice low and hard.

“The woman here for educational training, Nanami-san. When Yuko-san was having Watanuki-san clean out her warehouse, she spotted and was granted possession of the Monkey's Paw,” Kagome answered. “She doesn't know what it is yet, but she definitely _wants_ to know what's sealed in that tube, despite Yuko-san making her promise never to open it,” Kagome explained – having gotten that detail from Watanuki quietly after they had separated to go to their next class. “And apparently she's got the sort of luck that gives her what _ever_ she wants.”

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes slightly in thought as he considered that. “Return to your club, or go home,” he said at last, and lay a clawed hand on Kagome's shoulder as a parent, older sibling, or dear friend would – to offer comfort. “And do not think of Nanami-san again. What fate has planned for her is not your responsibility. Repeat that, Miko. This Sesshoumaru wants assurances that you understand.”

Kagome sighed. “Whatever happens to Nanami-san is not my fault, just because she got her hands on the Monkey's Paw even though I sealed it up tight. I cannot control fate, and what fate has planned is inevitable. To ascribe blame, accountability, responsibility, or fault to myself for things I could not control is counter-productive,” Kagome said.

Sesshoumaru nodded. “Good,” he said firmly, and removed his hand from her shoulder. “Exorcist, this Sesshoumaru asks that you keep watch over the Miko until whatever fate has planned for Nanami-san and the Monkey's Paw has been played out,” he requested formally.

Doumeki bowed. “I would have done so without being asked,” he answered.

Sesshoumaru nodded in approval, and the black once more overcame his silver locks, his marks faded and his colour deepened until he was once again Takahashi Ichimaru, Principle of Cross Private School. With one last nod to his students, he left them.

“Higurashi-san?” Doumeki asked gently.

Kagome took a deep, slightly shaky breath. “Hai, Doumeki-san?”

“Do you want to go home, or return to club?” he asked.

“I should be alright to return to club,” she answered with a smile. “I won't repeat what I did earlier, I promise. Now that I've talked about it with Sesshoumaru, I'll be fine.”

Doumeki raised an eyebrow. “Why particularly did you need to speak with Takahashi-sensei?” he asked as he gently placed a hand on Kagome's lower back and urged her to start walking back to their club.

“Because he was _there_ when I sealed it away,” Kagome answered softly. “There are things that he knows about me that no one else does. Not even my family. But,” she added, and smiled up at Doumeki. “If you decide that I'm not too bothersome to have for a friend, you'll probably get to hear all my stories eventually.”

Doumeki smiled slightly back. “I think I would enjoy that,” he said. “And you know, you said a whole lot more than Takahashi-sensei told you to repeat,” he added with a hint of a teasing smirk about his features.

Kagome shoved him playfully. “He wouldn't have been satisfied if I'd _just_ said that, I _know_ him!” she informed him, a smile on her face again at last.

~oOo~

Kagome was walking with Kunogi, the two of them discussing the pig-tail wearing girl's new 'Piffle Princess' bag, on their way to join Watanuki and Doumeki for lunch. They'd have been there on time, but there had been a minor female emergency when Kunogi realised she'd _lost_ some important feminine hygiene items. Fortunately for her, Kagome always carried a couple spare just in case.

“Sorry that we're so late...” Kunogi said as she pushed open the door that Watanuki and Doumeki had agreed they would have lunch by that day – only for the door to bump into a body, and knock something from their hand. “Ah!” Kunogi yelped, and reached to grab the tube before it could hit the ground and be scratched.

Kagome watched as Kunogi's aura of bad luck clashed with Nanami-san's aura of self-serving _good_ luck around the seal over the tube that held the Monkey's Paw... and as soon as Kunogi handed it back, apologising softly and releasing it completely into the custody of the current owner, the seal broke.

Nanami-san stood perfectly still, eyes wide, as the knot untied itself and the tube slid open in her hold.

The black aura of the Monkey's Paw – an item responsible for taking the lives of many and returning the souls of the dead to their mutilated corpses because of selfish wishes – spilled out in coils of thick, oily blackness.

“It's open!” Watanuki gasped softly.

“I didn't break it did I?” Kunogi asked worriedly.

“It looks like a bit of driftwood,” Doumeki noted.

Kagome stepped around Kunogi and took in the absolutely _ecstatic_ face of Nanami-san.

“I don't believe it!” the woman exclaimed happily. “I think it's the Monkey's Paw!”

“I don't believe it,” Kagome echoed. “You already forgot the promise you gave in exchange for it.”

But Kagome wasn't heard by Nanami-san as she continued to rapture. “I've read about this in my books! The Monkey's Paw is supposed to grant wishes!” she gushed.

“A broken promise means so little to her when she gets what she wants as a result of breaking it,” Kagome noted unhappily as she continued on to sit down at the small blanket where Doumeki and Watanuki had laid out the lunches already – Watanuki had taken Kagome and Kunogi's bentos both when they said they had to detour to the bathroom before they could join for lunch.  
“Uh... It might not be...” Watanuki protested weakly.

“You never know, and these things are always happening to me,” Nanami-san asserted happily. “It's just another sign of my great luck!” she proclaimed with a grin. “I know, let's test it to see whether or not it's real!”

Kagome's eyes widened in panic and she immediately began to pack up the lunch things as quickly as she could.

“Um... If you're not careful, it could turn out bad,” Watanuki attempted to caution.

Kagome picked up her bento and turned to her friends and Nanami-san. “Even if you _are_ careful, it _will_ turn out bad.”

“I'll be fine!” Nanami-san protested.

“ _And what about everybody else_?” Kagome hissed at the woman sharply, fire in her eyes.

“Higurashi-san,” Doumeki said softly, and wrapped a strong arm around her back and lay a large, calloused, but gentle hand on her shoulder. “Calm yourself,” he counselled.

Kagome closed her eyes and took a couple of deep breaths. “Thank you, Doumeki-san,” she said softly.

“How about this,” Nanami-san said, a slightly less confident smile on her face than there had been a moment ago. “The students in educational training have to take gym next, and everybody will have to run, so... I wish it would rain from now until tonight.”

Kagome broke from Doumeki's hold and slapped the woman as she moved past her to stand under the cover that hung only above the door.

“Higurashi-san!” Kunogi yelped in shock.

Doumeki moved quickly to Kagome's side to take both shoulders in his large hands, a questioning look on his face, though he remained silent.

“That was a _selfish_ and _thoughtless_ wish,” she scolded the woman harshly, eyes blazing over Doumeki's arm before she wrenched herself from his hold to turn and open the door. Then the rain began. She remained dry as she stepped inside, and Doumeki – as he was under the eave over the door – was safe from the rainfall, but Watanuki, Kunogi and Nanami-san were all being slowly drenched by the downpour.

In response to Nanami-san's enthusiasm for the wishes she was making on the Monkey's Paw – as well as the consequences she didn't even stop to think about – Kagome threw herself into her studies and archery club. If she saw Nanami-san approaching, she turned away. If the woman spoke, and provided it wasn't important to her classes, Kagome tuned out. If Watanuki, Kunogi or Doumeki started to talk _about_ Nanami-san and her wishes, then Kagome shut down or gave monosyllabic interjections.

She maintained this coldness until the very last day of the woman's educational training at their school, and she left.

This dedication meant that she was in a position to be automatically chosen to represent the school in the archery tournament. As it would run late, Kagome had packed an overnight bag and would be staying over at Doumeki's house, rather than catching the train back home again in the dark.

She won the girl's division, hands down. Doumeki won the boys too. The end result being that Sesshoumaru had nodded to them both in approval as he took the trophies to put on display at the school. Just for a little while. The trophies _did_ belong to _them_ after all.

A few days after that, Kagome got a letter from Sesshoumaru – maintaining their careful distance now that Kagome was no longer in a mood to be volatile with her powers on the school grounds. The letter stated that Nanami-san was dead, and that the Monkey's Paw was back in Yuko-san's safe-keeping.


	6. Chapter 6

It was the thirteenth of February, the day before Valentine's Day, and Kunogi was riding the train with Kagome back to her family's shrine – where they would be making their Valentine gifts. Mrs Higurashi had already obligingly done the ingredients shopping, and when the two girls crested the many steps and finally walked through the front door, she had just finished cleaning the kitchen.

“No wonder you do so well in Phys. Ed, Higurashi-san,” Kunogi said with a smile. “To climb those stairs every day, it would certainly keep you very fit!”

Kagome chuckled. “I _like_ being fit,” she admitted happily. “Tadaima!” she called into the house as she slipped her shoes off.

“Okaeri nasai, Kagome,” Mrs Higurashi greeted with a smile. “And this must be Kunogi-san, ne?”

Kunogi nodded. “Hai,” she answered, and bowed slightly. “Thank you for this.”

“Oh it's no trouble,” Mrs Higurashi answered happily. “The two of you have important cooking to do after all, and these things are more fun when you do them _with_ someone. And of course, I look forward to helping you two clean up by offering to lick the bowl,” the older woman added with a friendly laugh.

Kunogi blushed a little. There was a reason they were making the chocolates here, at the shrine, rather than at her house. At her house, her aura was so entrenched that it would get in the way of making the chocolates. Then there was the issue of her aura sticking to that chocolate, and being passed on to the person she gave it too – an issue which Kagome had promised to fix by cleansing the chocolates again and blessing them once they were finished.

Kagome was _also_ going to perform a cleansing ritual for her so that she wouldn't have to worry about her bad luck _at all_ for February fourteenth, or about leaving some of her aura behind here, at her friend's shrine where it could affect the Higurashi family.

Mrs Higurashi gave her daughter a peck on the cheek, and wished the two girls well with their cooking.

“Okay, first, the licorice,” Kagome said firmly as she moved to collect two aprons, and handed one to Kunogi.

“Why licorice, Higurashi-san?” Kunogi asked.

“For Sesshoumaru,” she answered. “My lord is a _dog_ demon,” she reminded her friend. “And just like any dog, he's allergic to chocolate, so I can't give him giri _choco_ for Valentine's, but dogs _do_ like anise, which is an ingredient in licorice.”  
“Of course,” Kunogi agreed, nodding in understanding.

“Sesshoumaru isn't much of a one for sweets anyway though, so I thought I'd give the extra licorice to Yuko-san. Then it's just the chocolates to make,” Kagome finished with a smile.

“Un!” Kunogi agreed, smiling back happily, and they got to cooking.

The licorice didn't take that long. They weren't making complicated shapes from it or anything, just setting dollops on wax-paper to cool and set into chewy mouthfuls before they moved on to the chocolates.

First the giri choco, a green-tea chocolate recipe that Kagome had made faithfully every year for Sango and Miroku they had travelled together, and which _this_ year she would give to Watanuki and Kunogi – as well as a couple for Watanuki to pass on to Mokona. Just innocent little balls of chocolate, nothing too fancy. And Kunogi followed her lead, though she'd be giving _her_ giri choco to Doumeki (and of course Kagome), rather than Watanuki. Once the licorice and the giri choco cooking things were completely cleaned up, and the results set aside to, well, _set_ , they moved on to the much more important – and somewhat more elaborate – honmei choco.

Perhaps it was a little premature to be giving honmei choco to boys who weren't actually their boyfriends, but Kunogi really wanted to think positive on Valentine's Day this year, and Kagome... well, Sesshoumaru was already calling Doumeki _her_ exorcist...

“Higurashi-san, arigato,” Kunogi said when Kagome had cleansed and blessed their chocolates. “I normally call in with a cold on the fourteenth, just to avoid the temptation to... so this will be the first time since grade-school that I've actually _been at school_ on Valentine's day!”

Kagome smiled. “You're welcome, Kunogi-san.”

“Eto... Could you call me Himawari?” she requested softly.

Kagome blinked in surprise, then smiled again. “Only if you call me Kagome,” she answered with a smile.

“Ah! Arigato, Kagome-chan!”

“Are you done?” Souta called as he entered the kitchen. “Can I lick the spoon?”

Kagome laughed, and passed the implement over to her little brother. “Here ya go,” she said, and messed up his hair fondly. “Any idea if you'll be getting choco from any of the girls in your class?” she teased him.

Souta shrugged. “I still don't understand girls,” he admitted. “But I know who I'd _like_ to get chocolate from,” he added a little bashfully, blushing slightly.

Kagome smiled. “My otouto is getting to be so mature!”

~oOo~

Kagome quietly went to the principle's office before class, and dropped off his licorice, which in turn let Himawari give her honmei choco to Watanuki without having to do it in front of friends – always a little more embarrassing than to simply gift in the same room as other classmates who were busily doing the exact same thing.

Apart from that, Kagome decided to withhold giving her choco until they were released from class to go to lunch, at which point she would give Watanuki his giri choco, and Doumeki her honmei choco, at the same time.

That was the plan anyway, and she managed to achieve half of it – Watanuki got his giri-choco, as well as accepted the licorice for Yuko-san and Mokona. Doumeki, however... the boy was approached every couple of minutes by a girl wanting to give him chocolate. Which he always accepted politely, but without any particular interest shown towards the girl giving it to him.

It got so bad that Doumeki pulled a paper bag from the supermarket out of his pocket and unfolded it to put all the chocolates in.

After school, Kagome and Doumeki checked in at archery club, only to see a notice saying it was cancelled for Valentine's Day.

“I'll walk you to your train, if you like,” Doumeki offered.

Kagome smiled, and nodded in acceptance. She still hadn't given Doumeki his chocolates yet, after all. Maybe this would be a good opportunity to do so. Still, the large bag of chocolates he was carrying already was... slightly intimidating.

Before they even got off campus, however, they were distracted by the sight of Watanuki treating Himawari to his _own_ chocolates in the Home Ec room.

“Huh...” Doumeki said, then smirked at Kagome before he vaulted into the room.  
“Doumeki!” Watanuki growled. “What are you doing here?”

Doumeki ignored his friend as he helped Kagome climb in through the window as well, but eventually turned to answer him. “I thought, since you were here, I'd take advantage of it,” he explained, and held up his bag of choco.

“What?!” Watanuki yelled angrily.

Doumeki waved him off absently, wrapped a hand around Kagome's, and towed her over to a stove on the furthest part of the room away from where Watanuki and Himawari were. There, he took out a couple of large metal bowls, a saucepan that he filled with water, and a spoon.

“What are you up to, Doumeki-san?” Kagome asked softly.

Doumeki smiled at her gently. “Most of the choco I've been given is just plain milk chocolates, no filling or flavours. If I take away the wrappings and melt it all together, then it will take up less space, won't it?” he pointed out. “It's not like I even really _know_ any of the girls that gave me chocolates, except for the giri choco from Kunogi-san.”

“Eh?” Himawari yelped. “Kagome-chan, you haven't given Doumeki-kun your choco yet?”

Kagome blushed and looked down shyly. She was still struggling a little bit with the fact that, in her mind, she had lived twenty six years, but her body was only sixteen years old. “No,” she answered at last, voice very soft.

Without another word, she reached into her back and pulled out the carefully wrapped box that held her confectionery creation. Unlike the simple, small, undecorated green box Kagome had put Watanuki's giri choco in, _this_ was a deep, _deep_ red box with a small origami tulip, flat and made from white paper, stuck to four of the sides, with another, three-dimensional, white paper tulip on top of the box.

Almost reverently, Doumeki took the box from Kagome's hands.

“Arigato, Kagome-chan,” he said softly.

Kagome's blush brightened a little, and she nodded – an action that both acknowledged the thanks, and accepted the change in the way she had been addressed.

“Ano, will you call me Shizuka now?” he asked softly.

Kagome nodded again, a shy smile on her lips as she looked up at him.

When they all left the classroom behind (cleaned up, of course), Watanuki walked Himawari home, and Shizuka walked Kagome to the train station, each going different routes to enjoy some alone time together without their other friends.

~oOo~

Kagome had been elected class chair-person (though it had been close with Himawari), and so was doing the rounds as her fellow students did chores around the school. Things like sweeping, taking out the trash, cleaning erasers and checking over the sports equipment. Her _specific_ area of supervision was the gym, where the hardwood floors were being polished and the mats being aired out and such. Her fellow students were all really _very_ efficient, and of course she was never one to just stand around and let others do the work when she could help as well, so everything was clean and shining again in no time.

As such, she and Himawari left to find their boyfriends – and _wow_ that made her feel all bubbly inside to think of, better than how she had _ever_ felt about InuYasha – and were fortunate enough to come upon them together.

“What were you saying about bonds?” Doumeki was asking Watanuki.

“Don't go eavesdropping,” Watanuki growled back.

“If you don't want to be heard, don't say things out loud,” Doumeki returned. “Now spill it.”

“And why do I have to take _your_ orders?!” Watanuki snapped furiously.

“Ne, Kimihiro-kun,” Himawari said as she stepped up to him and slid one of her arms around one of his. “What's troubling you? Is it something from your after-school job?”

“Ah, yes, Himawari-chan,” the boy answered, calming down as he smiled at the girl who, a little less than a month before, had agreed to be his girlfriend.

The end of the school-day bell sounded then, and the four friends agreed to go eat together to talk about what the latest strangeness was. They chose Duklyon, a burger shop across from the train station, to eat at, and lined up on stools that faced the large windows out the front – which meant Kagome could keep an eye on the large clock over the gates and the times for the trains.

“You're sure the twins were really human?” Doumeki asked when Watanuki had finished his explanation.

“Huh?” Watanuki asked, mouth open from when he was about to take a bite from his burger.

“It's happened before, remember Kimihiro-kun? There was the Zashiki-warashi that you met when you were walking me home on Valentine's Day,” Himawari reminded him softly, concern in her eyes.

“Eh!? You met a Zashiki-warashi and didn't tell us about it?” Kagome demanded softly.

Watanuki blushed and looked down. “She... took the fondant au chocolate that I'd given Himawari-chan straight from her stomach, and her soul with it, because she wanted to give _me_ a special chocolate for Valentine's Day,” he admitted.

“Oh, Himawari-chan,” Kagome said softly, eyes going wide. She got up from her seat and hugged the girl. “Oh, I'm so glad you're alright. Having your soul ripped out is _not_ fun.”

Himawari smiled. “But Kimihiro-kun got it back for me, and I'm alright now,” she said.

Kagome released her friend and set her hands on her shoulders and took a _good_ look at the girl. “I don't know how I didn't spot it,” she said after a moment. “The bad luck in your aura isn't quite as strong as it was. Being held by the Zashiki-warashi for a little while was apparently good for you.”

Himawari smiled brightly.

“But yes, I'm sure they were human,” Watanuki said, finally answering Doumeki's question, “and Yuko-san was talking about the bonds that only humans can form, that as soon as she said we wouldn't be able to find the contact, that we were bound not to.”

“Words,” Kagome said as she returned to her seat next to Shizuka, “can be _very_ powerful, but demons sometimes make them too. They're less social creatures in general, so it doesn't happen so often, but I suppose that's beside the point.”

“Ne, Kagome-chan, what do you mean by that?” Himawari asked.

“It's sort of like peer pressure,” Kagome answered with a shrug. “If you hear enough people say 'everybody is doing this', then eventually you'll want to try it yourself to see what it's like, making the statement more true. Or if someone is told over and over that they _can_ do something, they're more likely to succeed... or if they're told over and over that they _can't_ do it, then they're more likely to fail.”

“It's really that simple?” Watanuki asked.

Kagome shrugged. “It isn't simple, Watanuki-san,” she answered. “But I suppose the explanation makes it sound so,” she allowed, and glanced over at the train clock. “I've got to catch my train,” she said with a sigh, and wrapped up the rest of her burger, as well as grabbing her small bag of fries. “I'll see you tomorrow,” she promised.

“Oi,” Shizuka said with a smirk, and wrapped his hand around her wrist before she could get too far. “You forgot something,” he said, and tugged her down so that he could kiss her cheek.

Kagome smiled and gave Shizuka a quick peck on the cheek in return. She was still not entirely used to public displays of affection, but Shizuka was sweet when he wanted to be, and that had been sweet.

“Ashiteru, Kagome-chan. Be safe,” Shizuka whispered in her ear.

“Hai,” she agreed, blushing slightly, and was finally released to go catch her train.

“You were effectively asked out on a date by a college student...” Kagome repeated weakly when she met Shizuka for lunch the next day.

Shizuka nodded. “But I said no,” he reminded her, having told her that already. “Watanuki and Kunogi-chan are going, Kunogi-san knows the café _and_ knows that Watanuki wants to help the older twin with whatever is troubling her, and this is a good opportunity to do that. This isn't a matter that deals with spirits, so I don't have to worry too much about Watanuki getting hurt. Besides,” he said, as he wrapped his arms gently around Kagome's waist. “Why would I be interested in dating a college student when I'm already dating _you_?”

Kagome smiled in gratitude at those words. InuYasha had _really_ done a number on her self-confidence over the years, and okay, she was better about the whole thing _now_ than she was, say, five years into the quest, but it would take a _lot_ of positive reinforcement to fix that sort of damage.

“I'm so lucky,” Kagome said softly as she relaxed into his hold. “To have a boyfriend who cares so much about me.”

Shizuka smiled. “It's White Day tomorrow,” he said softly in her ear. “I have your present in my bag. I was planning to wrap it when I got home today, but... Would you like it early?”

Kagome giggled. “I've got _you_ ,” she said. “That's present enough for me.”

Shizuka chuckled, and left it alone, happy to have made Kagome happy. He would give her the little kitsune figurine he'd just finished in art class that morning on the official day. He knew, from all the time they spent talking together (and occasionally meeting with Principle Takahashi), how much the girl in his arms liked foxes, as well as why.

On White Day, when he gave Kagome the carefully wrapped little statue he'd made, Doumeki Shizuka was _very_ pleased to receive a kiss from his girlfriend in gratitude.

~oOo~

It was raining. Heavily. Kagome and Sesshoumaru were staying the night at Shizuka's shrine, helping him learn to master the gifts inherent in his blood and keeping the two teenagers on task respectively. Not that they needed a chaperone to be kept on task. Kagome was a dedicated teacher and Shizuka was an attentive student. That they were dating didn't make any difference to the training that needed to be done. Kagome's (admittedly temporary) romantic interest in InuYasha hadn't stopped her from doing what needed to be done. Miroku and Sango's relationship hadn't caused... _many_ problems along the way. Besides, the training sometimes included sharing stories of her past, so it was something Shizuka enjoyed because he got to know more about the girl he was dating, and Kagome enjoyed it because it was a relief to tell someone.

“We have a guest,” Sesshoumaru announced, interrupting the training.

“Eh?” Kagome asked, then blinked. “Oh, so we do,” she agreed. “Two, in fact.”

Shizuka frowned in concentration. “One of them... is _not_ human, and the other...”

“Is Watanuki-san,” Kagome finished gently when he seemed to be struggling.

Shizuka sighed. “I suppose I should see what he wants,” he grumbled.

“ _We_ will see what _they_ want, Exorcist,” Sesshoumaru corrected as he stood from where he had been watching their training. “That is not simply some random spirit he wants removed from his person.”

“So, you came crying to me just like Nobita,” Shizuka said by way of greeting to Watanuki as he stood on the steps of the temple, safe under the eaves from the rain.

“ _I am not crying_!” Watanuki yelled back. “Yuko said I _had_ to come over to see you,” he grumbled.

The red-haired spirit stepped around Watanuki and up to where Shizuka stood with Kagome, Sesshoumaru regal behind them at the top of the stairs. She sniffed them, getting a raised eyebrow and an inquiring look from Shizuka as he looked at her – which sparked a smile from Kagome. Just a few weeks ago, he wouldn't have been able to see the warashi.

“A refreshing scent that's all too rare nowadays,” she sighed happily.

“Ame-warashi,” Sesshoumaru greeted her from his place at the top of the stairs. “What brings you here?”

She pouted. “With that,” she jabbed her umbrella at Watanuki, “and _that_ ,” she continued, jabbing it again at Shizuka, “and _that_ ,” she repeated, jabbing it this time at Kagome, “it should all be well in hand. Now, let's get started!”

“Get started... doing what?” Watanuki asked.

“I need you to go on a rescue mission!” the Ame-warashi answered seriously. “I wanted to do it myself, but I couldn't even get close...” she explained unhappily.

Kagome smiled. “Well, I'm never one to turn down a rescue mission,” she stated.

Sesshoumaru snorted softly in disdain. “Which is why you were so often in _peril_ the first few years of our acquaintance,” he pointed out.

Kagome stuck her tongue out at him. “I'm not helpless any more though!” she countered, and hurried inside to get umbrellas for herself and Shizuka.

“I've never seen hydrangeas so red before,” Watanuki said in surprised awe when they reached the place that the Ame-warashi had directed them to.

Kagome reached out a hand to some of the lower blossoms, the reddest of all, and at her touch they grew lighter. “Shh,” she cooed as she moved on to cup the next group of flowers, her touch making them lighter as well. “Shh little ones. We'll get everything straightened out. I promise.”

“Higurashi-san, what are you doing?” Watanuki asked.

“I'm purifying the plant,” she answered. “There's something that's caused them to be tainted, that's why they're so dark. Watanuki-san, you need to go in, and remember that you must come back _this_ way, not any other. Hmm...” Kagome hummed, and pulled a leather chord from her pocket – she used it for tying up her hair, the way Sango had so long ago. “You take one end, Shizuka-kun will hold the other so that he can guide you back, and I'll continue to purify what I can from the outside,” she instructed.

Watanuki grumbled, but did as he was told – and abruptly vanished as black tendrils shot out from deep within the hydrangeas to grab at him.

The leather chord pulled tight, and disappeared into the bushes, but didn't break.

“We could be in for a long wait, Shizuka-kun,” Kagome informed him with a sigh. “But your powers as an exorcist will help Watanuki-san get this done faster than if he were on his own.”

It took... _a couple_ of hours, and of course it rained the whole time and was already late when they started so... well, it was the small hours of the morning when Watanuki finally returned to them, holding the bony hand of a dead child – by which time Yuko-san and Sesshoumaru had decided to check up on the teenagers who they considered to be _their_ charges that evening.

Sesshoumaru, a modern adult as he was, withdrew his mobile phone and placed a call to the police – and promised to wait for them, waving off Yuko-san and the teenagers, to go and get out of the rain. He wouldn't suffer for getting wet after all, and investigating why a dead child was under a bush was _not_ the job of private citizens.

Still, they'd want _some_ assurances, for closure, and Sesshoumaru would be able to get them.

“Thank you,” Ame-warashi said when she arrived at the Doumeki house, frilly umbrella over her shoulder and a soft smile on her face. “For coming to the rescue.”

“The hydrangeas are alright again then?” Kagome asked before Watanuki could open his mouth.

Ame-warashi nodded. “Un!” she said happily. “They really are doing very well now, with the corruption caused by the blood of the corpse gone, and your dedication to purifying them of the poison at the time has made their recovery all the faster!”

“Eh? The plants? Not the little girl?” Watanuki asked, surprised.

Ame-warashi raised a distinctly unimpressed eyebrow at Watanuki. “Why should I care about some human? They do nothing to help the precious things of this world, so why should the precious things do anything for them? Ugh,” she groaned, disgusted. “What _does_ that girl see in you?”

Kagome smiled, sadly but serenely. “The heart loves who it will love, whatever reason tries to say in contrary on the matter,” she offered.

Ame-warashi sighed, a little despondently. “I suppose,” she allowed, and turned to Yuko. “You'll get your payment in a few days,” she informed the woman.

“Hai,” Yuko agreed with a smile of her own and a nod of acceptance.

“And one more thing!” Ame-warashi snapped as she started to fade away into rain drops. “You'd _better_ not forget your White Day duties!”

“Eh? Who do I still owe a White Day gift to?” Watanuki asked. “I gave shaped candies to Yuko-san and Higurashi-san, and a white ribbon necklace as well as candies to Himawari-chan...”

“The Zashiki-warashi _also_ gave you chocolate on Valentine's Day, Watanuki,” Yuko reminded him with a smirk.

“Guck!” Watanuki choked. “I have no way of getting any sort of gift to her!”

“Ichihara-san does,” Sesshoumaru stated. “As do I.”

“Would you make me pay for it like Yuko-san would?” Watanuki asked.

Sesshoumaru scoffed lightly, amused. “I would require something from you in exchange for the favour, but I would not require the _same_ sort of payment,” he answered. “Ichihara-san's desires are vastly different from those of this Sesshoumaru.”

“Oh?” Yuko said, surprised. “The great Inu no Taisho-sama, doing a favour for a mere ningen?”

“It would _not_ be the first time,” Sesshoumaru answered her, amused by her reaction rather than offended by it. Meeting Kagome, and living another five hundred years after that meeting, had an _impact_ on a demon. He would not be disguised on a daily basis as a school principle if she hadn't had an impact on him.

“Sesshoumaru,” Kagome said, just a _little_ warningly – she was also smiling. “Don't _tease_ him.”

“It will cost a piece of quality steak,” Sesshoumaru decided with a smirk. “It is certainly not a hardship for this Sesshoumaru to visit Reisan Mountain, even if the karasu tengu there can be annoying.”

Kagome smirked knowingly. “And to you, they are nothing more than that,” she said.

Sesshoumaru nodded. “The gang of tengu that have made it their mission to protect Zashiki-warashi are _nothing_ like the greater, more majestic karasu tengu that ruled the clans, or even the more vicious underlings. They are _rejects_ with _paper fans_ and wings that do not fly.”

Kagome winced. “How the mighty have fallen,” she noted softly.


	7. Chapter 7

They were outside for art class, and it was unseasonably _hot_. They were _well_ into autumn now, they shouldn't be sweating this much. The whole of the year group was together though, so Kagome and Shizuka were sitting together as they worked on their drawings – the assignment of the day being simply to draw something that they could see around the school, be it a tree, a flower, or some structure.

Watanuki and Himawari weren't that far away from them, and another group of girls weren't far beyond them. Still, they were far _enough_ away that each little group considered themselves 'alone' with their company.

“It's hot!” came the loud complaint from one of those girls, attracting attention with her two words.

“You're right,” agreed one of her friends.

“I liked this in spring or fall, but at the beginning of summer? I wish the teacher would think of _us_ ,” the other of her friends added.

Then the girl ripped up her paper, getting shocked stares from those who had been watching, and stood.

“Wh-what's wrong?” asked one of her friends.

“I'm fed up with this,” she answered.

Kagome stared at the girl's back. Two little wings were sticking out, looking innocent and beautiful, but... Oh the _feel_ of them, even from so far away, made her shiver. Those wings gave her the same feeling as Kikyo's soul collecting insects had. That, Kagome knew, was _never_ a good feeling to get.

“Wait a moment!” Kagome called to the girl, and set her drawing board aside. “Don't move. There's a large insect on your back,” Kagome said as she hurried up, pulling out from her pocket the handkerchief she had so far been using to blot her sweat. “I wouldn't want it to sting you, let me just...”

“Eh?!” the girl nearly demanded. “Just brush it away!”

“But then it might sting _me_ ,” Kagome pointed out as she brought the cloth up around the wings, her hands charged with her power as she closed the cloth around them and _pulled_. “Got it!” she said happily as she quickly tied a knot, trapping the thing inside.

“Ah, thank you,” the girl said, smiling gently, and bowed slightly before she bent to pick up her drawing board and sighed. “I'm going to get some new paper, and find somewhere _not_ so hot to draw. Again, thank you,” she said, and bowed again – Kagome returned the gesture – and the girl and her friends left together to find somewhere else to draw.

“Ne, Kagome-chan, what were you doing? I didn't see any insect on her back,” Himawari said as she hurried up to her. “But there's _definitely_ something wrapped up in your handkerchief,” she noted with wide eyes.

“Shizuka-kun, did you see what I caught?” Kagome asked.

He frowned. “Not clearly,” he answered. “I thought it was just a print on her shirt... which would be against school regulations...”

“It was wings,” Watanuki said. “You remember, in the library yesterday, when I found that feather?” he asked the other boy. “When Yuko-san noticed it, she told me: 'be very careful, being _game_ is dangerous'.”

“'Game'?” Doumeki repeated.

“What sort of game could she be talking about?” Himawari asked, equally confused.

Watanuki shrugged helplessly. “I have no idea,” he admitted. “Am I game to do something, but should be careful of it? Am I supposed to play a game?”

“No, Watanuki-san,” Kagome said solemnly. “Perhaps if Yuko-san had used the word 'prey' instead of 'game', you would have understood better? It is a creature that steals souls.”

Watanuki blanched, Himawari gasped, and Shizuka's eyes fixed and narrowed on the bundle that Kagome still held.

“Kagome-chan, how is it that you are familiar with such a thing?” Shizuka asked, concern clear in his eyes.

“I'm not,” Kagome answered. “Not exactly. In the past, I've encountered soul collecting insects that took away the souls of the _dead_ , preventing them from passing on to the next life, but this is the first time I've seen one latched onto a person who was living. It looks different, but the aura is very much the same.”

“I hope you will tell me the story some day,” Shizuka said softly.

Kagome nodded in acquiescence. “I think I want to take this thing to Yuko-san,” she said. “I know that Sesshoumaru would destroy it, rather than track down the owner. He has little care for such matters. I'm pretty good at following these things, but I'd be physically chasing it around, and in the middle of Tokyo, that's not exactly the best idea.”

“You think Yuko-san would be able to do something?” Watanuki asked. “She wouldn't without you paying a price for it.”

“I am prepared to accept that,” Kagome answered with resolve, and just a hint of a smirk. “We may have to offer a bribe to be permitted to _watch_ though,” she added thoughtfully. “Watanuki-san, what things does Yuko-san like?”

“Sweets and alcohol,” Watanuki answered at once, voice flat.

Kagome nodded. “Then we'll stop by the shops to buy some for her on our way there,” she decided, and for the rest of the day kept a close eye on the bundle that was wrapped up in her handkerchief and kept there by her aura.

“Yuko-san!” Kagome called as she unerringly followed Watanuki onto the witch's property after they'd stopped by the supermarket, with Shizuka and Himawari at her sides even, looking around in wonder. “We come bearing chocolates and calvados!”

“Really?” Yuko-san asked, a happy grin on her face as she slammed her own front door open.

“As well as a little something _extra_ that I thought you _might_ be interested in,” Kagome added, and held up the bundle she'd caught the wings in, a grim expression on her face that was soon matched by the older woman. “We all came today with the hope to watch what you might do with it.”

“Hai,” Yuko-san agreed solemnly. “Though normally I would say that at least Doumeki-kun has no need of my shop... Please go around the side of the house to the garden,” she instructed. “But give Watanuki the chocolates and calvados to put away in the kitchen,” she added with a smile.

Only a few minutes later, the collected group of four high school students, two soulless girls, and Mokona, watched silently as Yuko-san wove her magic around the set of wings, transforming them into a construct of her own.

“ _Oh man-made heteromorph... become my creation... and morph to take on this new shape!_ ” Yuko-san commanded, and her scarf wrapped around the angel-like wings until a large butterfly appeared in their place. “ _Now race! To the location where schemes brew!_ ” Yuko-san ordered – and the giant butterfly was off, the scarf trailing long behind, stretching and growing longer when it should not have.

The butterfly flew up, up, away... but then the scarf came falling back down.

“It was cut,” Mokona noted.

“Its creator noticed and hit it with power,” Yuko-san answered. “But,” she added with a dangerous smile. “Now I've _found_ him!” she added, just a little ferociously.

“Ano,” Himawari said softly, and stepped up to Yuko-san. “While we're here... You grant wishes, ne, Yuko-san? Can you help me?”

“It would be a steep price, Himawari-chan,” Yuko-san answered the girl. “But yes, what you ask can be done.”

And so Yuko-san suddenly had _two_ part-timer's working for her.

~oOo~

It was late in the evening, the weather was still warm, and Kagome was sweeping the shrine courtyard when two figures appeared beneath the torii gate at the top of the shrine steps. One of them, she recognised.

“Good evening,” Kagome greeted.

“Miko,” Sesshoumaru returned. “This Neko is called Akari. She delivers the houzuki. The hyakki-yakou will be taking place a little earlier than usual this year. Will you attend it?”

“I would be honoured,” Kagome answered, bowing slightly to the two figures before her, and accepted the houzuki from Akari with gracious solemnity. “I thank you for this,” she said.

“For the one who guards the Shikon no Tama, it is _I_ who am honoured to gift this to you,” Akari answered solemnly as she bowed slightly, then conjured a new houzuki. “Perhaps, next year as well?” she suggested.

Kagome nodded, a smile on her face. “I think that I would like that,” she answered.

Akari nodded once, and took a few steps back before she vanished in a plume of smoke, off to deliver the houzuki in her paw to another who would walk the hyakki-yakou.

The next day at lunch, Kagome got to hear that Yuko-san had also received Akari as a guest, and that she'd asked the neko to give Watanuki the houzuki, rather than accepting it for herself.

“According to Yuko-san, if I hold it, I can take part,” Watanuki explained.

“In what?” Shizuka asked bluntly.

Watanuki shrugged helplessly. “Apparently, I'll only know if I take part,” he answered.

“She's winding you up,” Kagome said with a smile. “It's to attend the hyakki-yakou.”

“Eh? Like the paintings?” Himawari asked, blinking her big eyes in surprise and wonder. She hadn't been as late at Yuko-san's as Watanuki, and was also hearing about this meeting for the first time.

Kagome nodded. “The procession of spirits, that if a human should come across, they will be devoured,” she explained with a wickedly amused grin.

“I don't want to be eaten!” Watanuki shrieked. “No! No! Not going!” he insisted, and made an X in front of his chest with his arms.

“I am,” Kagome stated with a serene smile. “The nectar that will be given to those who walk in the hyakki-yakou is better than the best sake, and only available once a year.”

“That would be what Yuko-san is after,” Watanuki grumbled. “But if you're just going to be eaten...?”

Kagome shook her head. “Sesshoumaru has said he will vouch for me. Ne, if you're not going Watanuki... Could Shizuka-kun have your houzuki?” she asked sweetly.

“You want me to go?” Shizuka asked, surprised.

Kagome nodded. “I'm sure Sesshoumaru would vouch for you as well, and it will be good for you to experience. The spirits attending will only really pay you notice if you drop your houzuki,” she answered.

Shizuka shrugged and nodded in acceptance, and looked over at Watanuki.

“You can _have_ it,” the other boy said fervently in answer to the unasked question. “But you know, Yuko-san will want the booze.”

All the same, he handed over the wrapped houzuki after classes had ended for the day, and with a wave, left them to archery club while he walked Himawari home.

In the park after archery club, Shizuka unwrapped the houzuki that Watanuki had passed on to him, while Kagome unwrapped her own. Sesshoumaru, disguised as Takahashi Ichimaru, also unwrapped _his_ houzuki. As they took hold of the stems and the human world faded away from around them, so did Sesshoumaru's disguise.

“Wow,” Shizuka said softly, and his eyes widened a little to take in the full sight before him.

Thousands of spirits carrying glowing houzuki, all walking along together peacefully, towards a great tree with glowing blossoms.

“Come on Shizuka-kun,” Kagome urged with a smile as she looped an arm through his – not the ones holding their houzuki. “We don't want to be left behind!”

“What is this tree?” he asked when they finally reached it.

“It's a Tree of Ages,” Kagome answered softly and lifted her houzuki to accept nectar from the flowers. “Magical, precious, and aware of all that passes it by in a way that other, normal trees are not.”

“Like the tree at your shrine?” he asked as he mimicked her actions.

Kagome shook her head. “The gods tree at my family shrine precious, and aware, and magical, but in a different way to _this_ tree,” she explained.

Beside them, Sesshoumaru also raised his houzuki to be filled, and when the three of them turned from the tree, their houzuki filled with the nectar of the hyakki-yakou tree, the rest of the world appeared before them again.

“I'm disappointed,” Yuko-san announced as she stepped up to them, a slight pout on her face. “That Watanuki decided not to go.”

“He found out there was a possibility of being eaten,” Shizuka answered with a smirk, and held out the houzuki that he had been given by the loud boy. “I have this thanks to you, in a way. The nectar is yours. The experience was... incredible.”

“Oh, share it with me Doumeki-kun!” Yuko-san insisted with a smile. “After all, you are the one who fetched it for me, and it really is excellent moon-viewing sake!”

“Don't stay out too late,” Kagome cautioned, and gave Shizuka a quick kiss on the cheek before letting Sesshoumaru wrap an arm around her waist.

He proceeded to lift her from the ground as he ascended into the sky.

“See you tomorrow!” she called down with a wave.

~oOo~

Slowly the days passed. The leaves finished their turning and got on with the business of falling from their homes on the branches to make new places for themselves on the ground. Another archery competition was won. Sesshoumaru was quietly smug as he collected the large trophy on behalf of the school, again, and handed out the smaller, personal trophies to Kagome and Shizuka, but then, he was almost always quietly smug about _something_. The school marathon came and went – and Watanuki was unable to participate.

He claimed it was a cold, which was not unreasonable even so early in winter, but that wasn't the reason for his falling over in a dead faint on the grounds. Watanuki had actually gotten caught up with a spirit – that was very kind but slowly killing him by association – to which Shizuka took offence. He was somewhat selective about who was allowed to pick on his friend, and those who would make Watanuki 'disappear forever' (Yuko-san's words) were _not_ allowed.

It wasn't that Shizuka didn't like the spirit or anything. Apart from the moment he exorcised it, he had never even met it. Kagome explained the whole matter of such spirits to him though, filling in a gap in his knowledge that his grandfather hadn't provided.

Lonely, wandering spirits were just that: lonely. They wanted company. They weren't malicious, just... lonely. The only things that would make such a spirit happy were to have company, or to be sent on from what was left of their previous life into the next. The trouble was that keeping company with the dead slowly killed those who were living.

An important detail which Watanuki didn't know, and when he was told... didn't care about.

Watanuki wasn't happy about what Shizuka had done, but after getting a stern talking-to from Himawari about how important _he_ was, and that he shouldn't value himself so little, he accepted it with somewhat better grace and less grumbling. After a carefully calm lecture from Kagome about the nature of the spirit, he made a bento for Shizuka in apology, since he couldn't seem to force the words “I'm sorry” past his lips when he needed to say them to Shizuka.

~oOo~

Shizuka was rubbing at his right eye every ten minutes or so throughout morning class, and Kagome – being both an attentive miko and an attentive girlfriend who had managed to get herself transferred out of Watanuki's class and into his – was concerned. When lunch time came, she didn't let him go find Himawari and Watanuki, but rather dragged him to the nurse's office.

“What can I do for you two?”

“Sensei, do you have any saline for cleaning dirt out of eyes?” Kagome asked politely, but with an edge of concern in her voice and all over her face. “Something has been bothering Shizuka-kun all morning.”

As if to prove her words true, Shizuka winced and rubbed at his eye again.

The nurse chuckled, but stood from her seat and fetched a slim plastic bottle with an eye-shaped cap from the cabinet. “Do you want me to administer it here, or will you be alright to do it on your own?” she asked.

“I can do it,” Kagome promised, accepted the disposable item of medical aid, clutched it to her chest with one hand, and dragged Shizuka outside again. “Now,” she said firmly as she pushed him to sit down so that she could bend over him and use the salt-water and eye-shaped cup to wash his eye of any grit that was bothering him. “There's more to this than a bit of dirt. Did anything happen before you came to school this morning?” she asked.

“Watanuki came by the shrine. Apparently he'd stayed over at Yuko-san's, and my shrine is on the way from there to school. He got caught in a spider's nest while he was helping me do some cleaning, and I got him free. That's it,” Shizuka answered.

“How did you get him free?” Kagome asked.

“I used my broom handle to collect up the web,” he said.

“Hm,” Kagome mused, and lay a hand over his eye. “You didn't kill the spider, did you?” she asked, and her tone was a little bit disappointed.

“No.”

“I am probably prejudiced, but I believe that no spider should be left un-squished, unless it's actually being useful or is _nowhere_ near people. They're nasty, vindictive little creatures,” Kagome said firmly, then sighed. “But, I suppose, I'd be a bit vindictive too, if some giant came along and destroyed the home that I had built myself and was very proud of,” she conceded.

Shizuka blinked. “You're saying... the _spider_ is the reason my eye hurts?” he asked.

Kagome nodded and sat back on her heels. “Yup,” she answered, popping the P.

“So... what are my options?”

“You could wait this out for however long it takes for the spider to feel appeased, but that could be a _long_ time. You could apologise to the spider, which only _might_ work. You could take more pro-active counter-measures to get your eye back,” Kagome counted off on her fingers. “Or, you could kill the spider,” she added.

Shizuka chuckled. “You clearly have a preference,” he noted with amusement.

Kagome nodded. “Finding the _right_ spider though, if it's already moved on from where its destroyed web was, could be hard,” Kagome pointed out, a mildly peeved look on her face as she made the admission.

“Then I guess I only have two options, rather than four,” Shizuka said. “And since the first option... isn't really an option, I suppose I have some research to do. Would you like to help me?”

Kagome smiled. “We raid _your_ family's store house today, and _mine_ tomorrow?” she suggested.

Shizuka nodded and kissed her cheek.

“And _don't_ tell Watanuki,” Kagome said firmly. “Goodness knows _what_ he'd do, but he'd probably only make it worse.”

Shizuka nodded in agreement.

An _extremely_ thorough raid produced _exactly_ what they needed in the form of a book that was actually written by Shizuka's grandfather. Actually, Kagome was almost a little jealous of the collection Shizuka had access to. The store house at her family's shrine was full more of relics than of books. And though they found the solution to the problem, unfortunately, it would have to wait until the new moon, when they would draw water from a well for the ritual. All told, it was fairly simple, but Shizuka had to wear a patch over the afflicted eye so that nobody asked why he had let a spider build its home on his face.

~oOo~

The first snowfall came in the night and was six inches deep on every horizontal surface by morning. Watanuki and Himawari presented an invitation from Yuko-san for all of them to play in the snow together after school, though Himawari also apologised that she would be late to the fun, owing to a piano lesson.

Watanuki objected to playing in the snow at all, since they weren't little kids any more, only to be hushed by both Yuko-san _and_ Kagome at the same time. And the snow-sculpting competition began.

Watanuki made a very simple snow bunny, and Himawari (when she eventually reached them) built a winged... thing. Shizuka simply piled up the snow as high as he could, and gave it eyes and arms using stones and sticks he'd uncovered as he collected up the snow. Kagome carefully sculpted a fox... in a kimono.

“And the winner is -!” Yuko declared happily, her eyes searching the sky for something, following it hither and thither as it wove through the snow sculptures until it came to stop on... “-Doumeki!”

“ _What?!_ ” Watanuki objected. “How does that... _lump_ win?!”

“Calm down Watanuki,” Yuko-san scolded. “I didn't pick the winner.”

“I think yours is nicer,” Shizuka confided softly to Kagome as he wrapped his arms around her waist until he could tuck his cold hands between her body and his to get warm again.

Kagome chuckled. “Ah, but anything supernatural and not malicious is going to find anything touched by your hand to be particularly wonderful. You're just special that way, my exorcist,” she cooed back, and kissed his cheek fondly.

~oOo~

Kagome blinked when she woke. It was the first day of the new year, and she'd had strange dreams that mixed her past – and her past future – with her present. She hadn't dreamt of the past for some time, and to dream of the past on the night when dreams were supposed to be foreshadowing of a person's future, of what they could expect from the year to come... It didn't make much sense.

Then again, dreams _often_ didn't make sense.

Visions, on the other hand, at least made sense at approximately the time that having been able to interpret them beforehand would have been useful.

All she got from her first dream of the new year was that there was going to be change. Dramatic and unavoidable change. Whether that change would bring good things or bad, Kagome wasn't sure. But change would come all the same...

Then again, life was very much about the changes that a person endured, and little by little, themselves changed as well.


End file.
